Research Projects

Based on the previous studies, we demonstrate that BYVMV C4 is necessary to overcome the transcriptional gene silencing and attempted to identity C4 suppression mechanism by looking the interacting partner from the N.benthamiana plants. Intriguingly, we found numeral candidates which are known to play essential role in methylation donor cycle (SAM), RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway and genes responsible for the heterochromatin conversion. Among these proteins, the proteins such as Nucleoporin 50a (NUP50a), ATP-dependent helicase BRM (BRM), and Factor of DNA methylation 4 (FDM4) have been selected for further exploration. Since these genes are essential for the H3K9me3 methylation (NUP50a), heterocharomatin conversion (BRM) and RdDM pathway (FDM4), we speculate that BYVMV C4 should hinder these activities by the way it may enhance the virus replication and transcription. To decipher the mechanism behind with the BYVMV C4 impairment, we have cloned these from N.benthamiana plants, confirmed the by Sanger's sequencing. Further, these genes were fused with the Twin-strep tag which will help us to assert the protein-protein interaction by the pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assay. The proposed research aim is to investigate the how BYVMV C4 hinder the transcriptional gene silencing which lead to efficient virus replication and symptom production. Revealing such mechanism should help us understand the basic mechanism behidn with the C4 suppression, such studies are warranted to benefit to obtain a clue to control the infection.