The Bunyavirales: The Plant-Infecting Counterparts

• Main Authors: Richard Kormelink, Jeanmarie Verchot, Xiaorong Tao, Cecile Desbiez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Viruses
• Subjects: Tospoviridae; Orthotospovirus; Phenuiviridae; Tenuivirus; Fimoviridae; Emaravirus
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/842

Negative-strand (-) RNA viruses (NSVs) comprise a large and diverse group of viruses that are generally divided in those with non-segmented and those with segmented genomes. Whereas most NSVs infect animals and humans, the smaller group of the plant-infecting counterparts is expanding, with many causing devastating diseases worldwide, affecting a large number of major bulk and high-value food crops. In 2018, the taxonomy of segmented NSVs faced a major reorganization with the establishment of the order <i>Bunyavirales</i>. This article overviews the major plant viruses that are part of the order, i.e., orthospoviruses (<i>Tospoviridae</i>), tenuiviruses (<i>Phenuiviridae</i>), and emaraviruses (<i>Fimoviridae</i>), and provides updates on the more recent ongoing research. Features shared with the animal-infecting counterparts are mentioned, however, special attention is given to their adaptation to plant hosts and vector transmission, including intra/intercellular trafficking and viral counter defense to antiviral RNAi.