Summary: Although the S w‐5 gene cluster has been cloned, and S w‐5b has been identified as the functional gene copy that confers resistance to T omato spotted wilt virus ( TSWV ), its avirulence ( A vr ) determinant has not been identified to date. N icotiana tabacum ‘ SR1 ‘ plants transformed with a copy of the S w‐5b gene are immune without producing a clear visual response on challenge with TSWV , whereas it is shown here that N . benthamiana transformed with S w‐5b gives a rapid and conspicuous hypersensitive response ( HR ). Using these plants, from all structural and non‐structural TSWV proteins tested, the TSWV cell‐to‐cell movement protein ( NS _M ) was confirmed as the A vr determinant using a Potato virus X ( PVX ) replicon or a non‐replicative pEAQ ‐ HT expression vector system. HR was induced in S w‐5b ‐transgenic N . benthamiana as well as in resistant near‐isogenic tomato lines after agroinfiltration with a functional cell‐to‐cell movement protein ( NS _M ) from a resistance‐inducing ( RI ) TSWV strain ( BR ‐01), but not with NS _M from a S w‐5 resistance‐breaking ( RB ) strain ( GRAU ). This is the first biological demonstration that S w‐5 ‐mediated resistance is triggered by the TSWV NS _M cell‐to‐cell movement protein.

The Sw-5 gene cluster encodes protein receptors that are potentially able to recognize microbial products and activate signaling pathways that lead to plant cell immunity. Although there are several Sw-5 homologs in the tomato genome, only one of them, named Sw-5b, has been extensively studied due to its functionality against a wide range of (thrips-transmitted) orthotospoviruses. The Sw-5b gene is a dominant resistance gene originally from a wild Peruvian tomato that has been used in tomato breeding programs aiming to develop cultivars with resistance to these viruses. Here, we provide an overview starting from the first reports of Sw-5 resistance, positional cloning and the sequencing of the Sw-5 gene cluster from resistant tomatoes and the validation of Sw-5b as the functional protein that triggers resistance against orthotospoviruses. Moreover, molecular details of this plant–virus interaction are also described, especially concerning the roles of Sw-5b domains in the sensing of orthotospoviruses and in the signaling cascade leading to resistance and hypersensitive response.

Tospoviruses (Genus Tospovirus, Family Bunyaviridae) are phytopathogens responsible for significant worldwide crop losses. They have a tripartite negative and ambisense RNA genome segments, termed S (Small), M (Medium) and L (Large) RNA. The vector-transmission is mediated by thrips in a circulative-propagative manner. For new tospovirus species acceptance, several analyses are needed, e.g., the determination of the viral protein sequences for enlightenment of their evolutionary history. Biological (host range and symptomatology), serological, and molecular (S and M RNA sequencing and evolutionary studies) experiments were performed to characterize and differentiate a new tospovirus species, Bean necrotic mosaic virus (BeNMV), which naturally infects common beans in Brazil. Based upon the results, BeNMV can be classified as a novel species and, together with Soybean vein necrosis-associated virus (SVNaV), they represent members of a new evolutionary lineage within the genus Tospovirus. Taken together, these evidences suggest that two divergent lineages of tospoviruses are circulating in the American continent and, based on the main clades diversity (American and Eurasian lineages), new tospovirus species related to the BeNMV-SVNaV clade remain to be discovered. This possible greater diversity of tospoviruses may be reflected in a higher number of crops as natural hosts, increasing the economic impact on agriculture. This idea also is supported since BeNMV and SVNaV were discovered naturally infecting atypical hosts (common bean and soybean, respectively), indicating, in this case, a preference for leguminous species. Further studies, for instance a survey focusing on crops, specifically of leguminous plants, may reveal a greater tospovirus diversity not only in the Americas (where both viruses were reported), but throughout the world.

Summary: Only a limited number of dominant resistance genes acting against plant viruses have been cloned, and further functional studies of these have been almost entirely limited to the resistance genes Rx against Potato virus X (PVX) and N against Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Recently, the cell‐to‐cell movement protein (NS _M ) of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has been identified as the avirulence determinant (Avr) of Sw‐5b‐mediated resistance, a dominant resistance gene which belongs to the class of SD‐CC‐NB‐LRR (Solanaceae domain‐coiled coil‐nucleotide‐binding‐leucine‐rich repeat, SD‐CNL) resistance genes. On transient expression of the NS _M protein in tomato and transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana harbouring the Sw‐5b gene, a hypersensitive cell death response (HR) is triggered. Here, it is shown that high accumulation of the Sw‐5b protein in N. benthamiana leaves, achieved by co‐expression of the Sw‐5b protein with RNA silencing suppressors (RSSs), leads to auto‐activity in the absence of NS _M . In a similar approach, Sw‐5a, the highest conserved paralogue of Sw‐5b from Solanum peruvianum , also triggered HR by auto‐activation, whereas the highest conserved orthologue from susceptible S. lycopersicum , named Sw‐5a ^S , did not. However, neither of the last two homologues was able to trigger an NS _M ‐dependent HR. Truncated and mutated versions of these Sw‐5 proteins revealed that the NB‐ARC [nucleotide‐binding adaptor shared by Apaf‐1 (from humans), R proteins and CED‐4 (from nematodes)] domain is sufficient for the triggering of HR and seems to be suppressed by the SD‐CC domain. Furthermore, a single mutation was sufficient to restore auto‐activity within the NB‐ARC domain of Sw‐5a ^S . When the latter domain was fused to the Sw‐5b LRR domain, NS _M ‐dependent HR triggering was regained, but not in the presence of its own Sw‐5a ^S LRR domain. Expression analysis in planta revealed a nucleocytoplasmic localization pattern of Sw‐5b, in which the SD‐CC domain seems to be required for nuclear translocation. Although the Sw‐5 N‐terminal CC domain, in contrast with Rx , contains an additional SD, most findings from this study support a conserved role of domains within NB‐LRR (NLR) proteins against plant viruses.

Plant vegetative propagation strategies for agricultural crops cause the accumulation of viruses, resulting in the formation of virus complexes or communities. The cultivation of garlic is based on vegetative propagation and more than 13 virus species from the genera Potyvirus, Allexivirus and Carlavirus have been reported. Aiming for an unbiased identification of viruses from a garlic germplasm collection in Brazil, total RNA from eight garlic cultivars was sequenced by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology. Although most viruses found in this study were previously reported, one of them did not belong to any known genera. This putative new virus was found in seven out of eight garlic cultivars and phylogenetic data positioned it as representative of an independent evolutionary lineage within family Betaflexiviridae. This virus has been tentatively named garlic yellow mosaic-associated virus (GYMaV), sharing highest nucleotide identities with African oil palm ringspot virus (genus Robigovirus) and potato virus T (genus Tepovirus) for the replicase gene, and with viruses classified within genus Foveavirus for the coat protein gene. Due to its high frequency in garlic cultivars, GYMaV should be considered in upcoming surveys of pathogens in this crop and in the development of virus-free garlic plants.