Proximity-dependent biotinylation screening identifies NbHYPK as a novel interacting partner of ATG8 in plants.

Autophagy is a conserved, highly-regulated catabolic process that plays important roles in growth, development and innate immunity in plants. In this study, we compared the rate of autophagy induction in Nicotiana benthamiana plants infected with Tobacco mosaic virus or the TMV 24A + UPD mutant variant, which replicates at a faster rate and induces more severe symptoms. Using a BirA* tag and proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) analysis, we identified host proteins that interact with the core autophagy protein, ATG8 in TMV 24A + UPD infected plants. By combining the use of a fast replicating TMV mutant and an in vivo protein-protein screening technique, we were able to gain functional insight into the role of autophagy in a compatible virus-host interaction.

Pubmed ID: 31324141