Invasion of midgut epithelial cells by a persistently transmitted virus is mediated by sugar transporter 6 in its insect vector
Fig 8
RNAi knockdown of LsST6 had no effect on virus titre and transmission efficiency in viruliferous planthoppers.
(A) LsST6 RNA expression was inhibited by injection with dsLsST6. Viruliferous insects were fed on health rice seedlings and collected at 2, 4 and 8 days after the dsRNA injection, then RNA levels quantified by RT-qPCR. (B-C) RSV titre in viruliferous insects after injection. RSV RNA levels were quantified by (B) RT-qPCR and (C) DIG-northern blots. (D) Transmission efficiency of virus to rice seedlings by viruliferous insects after injection with dsLsST6. (A-D) Mean ± SEM of three independent experiments (P < 0.01, one-way ANOVA, LSD test). (E) Localization of LsST6 and RSV in midgut epithelial cells after injection with dsLsST6. Excised midguts at 2, 4 and 8 days were incubated with anti-LsST6 (green) and anti-RSV (red) antibodies and observed with LSCM. Scale bars, 50 μm.