Localization of distinct genome segments in host plant and aphid vector cells 

Missions of this research thematic

To produce and investigate new concepts related to the life cycle of plant viruses with a segmented genome.

General goals

The way of life of multicomponent viruses is poorly understood. Using Tospoviruses and Nanoviruses as biological models, we address the basic biology of segmented and multipartite viruses systems and experimentally investigate the possible benefits and costs in such biological systems, where the distinct genome segments are either encapsidated together or separately.

Thematic and research discipline

To understand the infection cycle and the transmission of the multipartite nanoviruses and compare it with Tospoviruses that also have a segmented genome but with all segments supposedly encapsidated together. The aim is to evaluate whether the encapsidation of the segments together or separately really represents two distinct strategies or whether these two types of genome architecture have common biological traits.

Scale of study

All possible scales, from molecule to landscape.