Strategies for developing new genetic resistances to viruses based on the susceptibility factors phosphoglycerate kinases

Plant RNA viruses are a major economic threat in agriculture. Plant genes encoding susceptibility factors, SF, (ie. Proteins or molecules produced by the plant and used by the virus to successfully replicate) are good targets to develop genetic resistances to viruses. Still, the number of factors known today is limited. Recent studies discovered new metabolic enzymes, Phosphoglycerate kinases (PGK), acting as such (Diop,M. Gallois, J-L., 2022) . However, developing new genetic resistances against RNA viruses based on PGK proved to be complex especially because of the number of copies in the plant genome and the fact that their biological role for the virus is still not clear.

It is in this context that my PhD takes place. Indeed, the first axis of my work is to understand the redundancy among the three phosphoglycerate kinases of the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana (cPGK1, cPGK2, and PGK3) and design a combination of allele conferring resistance to the potyvirus WMV (Watermelon Mosaic Virus). Based on this knowledge, the second axis focuses on the PGK’s mediated resistance to an economically important crop, in Solanum lycopersicum (Sl_cPGK, Sl_PGK, Sl_PGK-MT). In this talk I will present the work done during my first PhD year.