AmiRNA Technology Enhances Tomato Disease Resistance by Suppressing Plant-Pathogen Interaction Pathways through Inhibiting TYLCV Replication

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease has seriously threatened the quality and yield of tomatoes. In this study, we investigated the role of amiRNA technology in disease resistance in tomatoes (cherry tomato and large-fruited tomato) and analyzed the physiological and molecular mechanisms of disease resistance in transgenic plants. TYLCV contains six functional genes, of which the <i>C</i>1, <i>C2</i>, and <i>V1</i> genes have more phosphorylation sites and glycosylation sites, and the protein structure is more complex. The virus replication was inhibited, the peroxidation of membrane lipids was reduced, and disease resistance was enhanced in all transgenic cherry tomato (J6) plants in which the <i>C1</i>, <i>C2</i>, and <i>V1</i> genes were silenced, respectively. Similarly, silencing of the <i>C1</i> gene enhanced disease resistance in large-fruited tomatoes. In conclusion, amiRNA technology hinders viral replication, leading to reduced activity of the tomato plant-pathogen interaction pathway and weakening tomato-virus interactions, thereby improving disease resistance.