Reciprocal assistance for aphid transmission between non-transmissible strains of zucchini yellow mosaic potyvirus in mixed infections - Brief Report

Several aphid non-transmissible strains of zucchini yellow mosaic potyvirus (ZYMV) have been described, in relation with mutations in the two viral pr oteins required for transmissibility, coat protein and helper component. As sistance mechanisms were previously shown to allow transmission of such str ains when functional proteins are provided in trans. In this paper, we used monoclonal antibodies to allow a specific detection of two aphid non-trans missible strains of ZYMV and we revealed that reciprocal assistance mechani sms can mediate simultaneous aphid transmission of these deficient strains. Potential epidemiological and evolutive consequences of such assistance me chanisms between variants in complex virus populations are discussed.