An evolved 5’ untranslated region of alfalfa mosaic virus allows the RNA transport of movement-defective variants

Although the coat protein (CP) has a relevant role in the long-distance movement of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and brome mosaic virus (BMV), its precise function is not fully understood. Previous results showed that a specific interaction between the C termini of the movement protein (MP) and the cognate CP is required for systemic transport. Thus, we have performed a compensatory evolution experiment using an AMV RNA3 derivative defective in long-distance transport that carries a BMV MP lacking the C- terminal 48 residues and unable to interact with the AMV CP. After several passages, five independent evolution lineages were able to move long distance. The analysis of the viral RNA of these lineages showed the presence of three different modifications located exclusively at the 59 untranslated region (59 UTR). The three evolved 59 UTR variants accumulated comparable levels of viral RNA and CP but reduced the accumulation of virus particles and the affinity between the 59 UTR and the AMV CP. In addition, the evolved 59 UTR increased cell-to-cell transport for both the AMV RNA3 carrying the BMV MP and that carrying the AMV MP. Finally, the evolved 59 UTRs allowed the systemic transport of an AMV RNA3 carrying a CP mutant defective in virus particles and increased the sys- temic transport of several AMV RNA3 derivatives carrying different viral MPs associated with the 30K superfamily. Altogether, our findings indicate that virus particles are not required for the systemic transport of AMV but also that BMV MP is competent for the short- and long-distance transport without the interaction with the CP.