A nanobiotechnological approach to control non‐persistent aphid‐transmitted plant viruses, based on functionalized virus‐like particles

Abstract Control of non‐persistently‐aphid transmitted plant viruses is based on preventive measures such as physical or photoselective barriers or reflective mulches as well as host plant resistance. However, these methods are not always durable and effective and are difficult to implement in the field because transmission occurs in a matter of seconds when aphids land and immediately probe on a plant. Currently, there are no available strategies to disrupt the transmission process of non‐persistently‐transmitted viruses based on virus–vector molecular interactions. In this work, we engineered a potyvirus‐derived virus‐like nanoparticle (VLP) to interfere in the transmission of the potyviruses turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) and zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) by their aphid vectors. Using the engineered construct, we found that there was also interference with the transmission of the cucumovirus, cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). This nanoparticle was a fusion of a modified version of the TuMV helper component protease (HC‐Pro) and the capsid protein (CP). This construct was delivered to aphids through transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, followed by aphid acquisition. Retention of the engineered construct within the aphid stylet cuticle before virus acquisition reduced cucumovirus and potyvirus transmission rates by 38%–56%, respectively. This novel biotechnological approach targets the interference of non‐persistent, aphid‐mediated virus transmission. The genetic construct is adaptable for stable integration into transgenic plants or for direct spraying onto plants using appropriate surfactants or wetting agents, and therefore represents an effective strategy for the control of vector‐borne viruses.