The Plant Non-canonical Antiviral Resistance Protein JAX1 Inhibits Potexviral Replication by Targeting the Viral RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase.

Understanding the innate immune mechanisms of plants is necessary for breeding of disease-resistant lines. Previously, we identified the antiviral resistance gene JAX1 from Arabidopsis thaliana, which inhibits infection by potexviruses. JAX1 encodes a unique jacalin-type lectin protein. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms of JAX1-mediated resistance. JAX1 restricted the multiplication of a potexviral replicon lacking movement-associated proteins, suggesting inhibition of viral replication. Therefore, we developed an in vitro potato virus X (PVX) translation/replication system using vacuole- and nucleus-free lysates from tobacco protoplasts, and revealed that JAX1 inhibits viral RNA synthesis but not translation of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). JAX1 did not affect the replication of a resistance-breaking mutant of PVX. Blue native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fractions separated by sucrose gradient sedimentation showed that PVX RdRp constituted the high-molecular-weight complex that seems to be crucial for viral replication. JAX1 was detected in this complex of wild-type PVX replicon, but not in that of the resistance-breaking mutant. In addition, JAX1 interacted with the RdRp of the wild-type virus, but not with that of virus with a point mutation at the resistance-breaking residue. These results suggest that JAX1 targets RdRp to inhibit potexvirus replication.IMPORTANCE Resistance genes play a crucial role in plant antiviral innate immunity. The roles of conventional nucleotide binding-leucine rich repeat (NLR) proteins and the associated defense pathways have long been studied. In contrast, recently discovered resistance genes that do not encode NLR proteins (non-NLR resistance genes) have not been investigated extensively. Here we report that the non-NLR resistance factor JAX1, a unique jacalin-type lectin protein, inhibits potexviral de novo RNA synthesis by targeting the huge complex of viral replicase. This is unlike other known antiviral resistance mechanisms. Molecular elucidation of the target in lectin-type protein-mediated antiviral immunity will enhance our understanding of the plant non-NLR-mediated resistance system.