Extracellular vesicle-mediated plant miRNA trafficking regulates viral infection in insect vector

  • Cell Rep. 2025 May 27;44(5):115635. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115635.
Qian Wang  1 ,  Hong Lu  2 ,  Xiaoyue Fan  3 ,  Jiaming Zhu  4 ,  Jianfei Shi  1 ,  Wan Zhao  4 ,  Yan Xiao  1 ,  Yongyu Xu  3 ,  Jinfeng Chen  4 ,  Feng Cui  5
Affiliations
  • 1. State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  • 2. State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3. College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, China.
  • 4. State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
  • 5. State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 40293919 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115635
Abstract

Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated small RNA trafficking plays an important role in intercellular and interspecies communication. Plant arboviruses keep homeostasis in insect vectors, thus ensuring vector survival and viral transmission. How plant EV-mediated cross-kingdom RNA interference participates in viral Infection in insect vectors remains unknown. Here, we successfully isolate rice EVs and identify a batch of MicroRNAs (miRNAs) encapsulated in EVs. Two EV-enriched rice miRNAs, Osa-miR159a.1-1 and Osa-miR167a, are transported into midgut epithelial cells of small brown planthopper, which is a competent vector of rice stripe virus (RSV). Osa-miR159a.1-1 elevates the expression of a Phospholipase C by enhancing its mRNA stability, inducing the downstream CSL expression to inhibit Apoptosis for the benefit of RSV replication. On the Other hand, Osa-miR167a directly binds RSV RdRp to suppress viral replication. This differential regulation of EV-mediated cross-kingdom RNA interference contributes to arbovirus homeostasis in insect vectors and the following efficient transmission.

Keywords
CP: Microbiology; CP: Plants; PLCβ; apoptosis; extracellular vesicle; miRNA; planthopper; rice stripe virus.
Products