Zhao, WenhaoJi, YinghuaZhou, YijunWang, Xiaofeng2025-01-152025-01-152024-08-200032-08897736869 (PII)https://hdl.handle.net/10919/124205Geminiviruses infect numerous crops and cause extensive agricultural losses worldwide. During viral infection, geminiviral C4/AC4 proteins relocate from the plasma membrane to chloroplasts, where they inhibit the production of host defense signaling molecules. However, mechanisms whereby C4/AC4 proteins are transported to chloroplasts are unknown. We report here that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) COAT PROTEIN COMPLEX I (COPI) components play a critical role in redistributing Tomato yellow leaf curl virus C4 protein to chloroplasts via an interaction between the C4 and β subunit of COPI. Coexpression of both proteins promotes the enrichment of C4 in chloroplasts that is blocked by a COPI inhibitor. Overexpressing or downregulating gene expression of COPI components promotes or inhibits the viral infection, respectively, suggesting a proviral role of COPI components. COPI components play similar roles in C4/AC4 transport and infections of two other geminiviruses: Beet curly top virus and East African cassava mosaic virus. Our results reveal an unconventional role of COPI components in protein trafficking to chloroplasts during geminivirus infection and suggest a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy in controlling geminivirus infections in plants.Pages 1826-183914 page(s)application/pdfenPublic Domain (U.S.)ChloroplastsGeminiviridaePlant ProteinsViral ProteinsCapsid ProteinsPlant DiseasesProtein TransportBegomovirusSolanum lycopersicumArticle - Refereedhttps://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiae4361963Wang, Xiaofeng [0000-0002-3850-3274]391624741532-2548