Multiple aromatic amino acids are involved in potyvirus movement by forming π-stackings to maintain coat protein accumulation

Abstract Coat protein (CP) is required for potyviruses to move and establish a systemic infection in plants. π-stackings formed by aromatic residues play critical roles maintaining stability functions. As we know, many located the core region of potyvirus CPs are conserved. However, their remain largely unknown. Here, through analysis three-dimensional model tobacco vein banding mosaic virus (TVBMV; genus Potyvirus ) CP, 16 were predicated form π-stackings. The results transient expression experiments demonstrated that deletion any these reduced CP accumulation. Infectivity assays showed TVBMV infectious clone abolished cell-to-cell movement replication virus. Substitution Y 105 147 individually with non-aromatic alanine or glycine accumulation, replication, ability intercellularly, while substitution two phenylalanine tryptophan, had no little effect on accumulation replication. Similar obtained from mutants watermelon (WMV, ). Taken together, our demonstrate multiple involved forming maintain