Proteasome homeostasis is essential for a robust cauliflower mosaic virus infection

Abstract

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is essential for the maintenance and shifts in protein homeostasis, and thereby forms a founding pillar in virtually all cellular processes including plant immunity and viral infections. According to its importance in fine-tuning the complex plant immune response, proteasomal defects result in divergent outcomes including both resistance and susceptibility phenotypes in response to viruses. The final outcome will largely depend on the specific virus and its specific co-adaptation with the UPS as well as the immune system. Here, we show that cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) relies on the proteasome for robust infection. The proteasome system is induced during infection via SA and supports systemic accumulation of the virus as well as plant growth performance during infection. This establishes the UPS as a win-win pathway for the plant and the virus, and together with our demonstration of a proteasome-suppressing viral effector, the intimacy between the proteasome and CaMV is fortified.