The Role of Plant Latex in Virus Biology

Merchán-Gaitán, Julia B.; Mendes, João H. L.; Nunes, Lucas E. C.; Buss, David S.; Rodrigues, Silas P.; Fernandes, Patricia M. B.

Abstract

At least 20,000 plant species produce latex, a capacity that appears to have evolved independently on numerous occasions. With a few exceptions, latex is stored under pressure in specialized cells known as laticifers and is exuded upon injury, leading to the assumption that it has a role in securing the plant after mechanical injury. In addition, a defensive effect against insect herbivores and fungal infections has been well established. Latex also appears to have effects on viruses, and laticifers are a hostile environment for virus colonization. Only one example of successful colonization has been reported: papaya meleira virus (PMeV) and papaya meleira virus 2 (PMeV2) in Carica papaya. In this review, a summary of studies that support both the pro- and anti-viral effects of plant latex compounds is provided. The latex components represent a promising natural source for the discovery of new pro- and anti-viral molecules in the fields of agriculture and medicine.

Citation

Merchán-Gaitán, J. B., Mendes, J. H. L., Nunes, L. E. C., Buss, D. S., Rodrigues, S. P., & Fernandes, P. M. B. (in press). The Role of Plant Latex in Virus Biology. Viruses, 16(1), Article 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16010047

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 25, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Dec 27, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 15, 2024
• Journal: Viruses
• Electronic ISSN: 1999-4915
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 47
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v16010047
• Keywords: Virology, Infectious Diseases