Argonaute 2 Controls Antiviral Activity against Sweet Potato Mild Mottle Virus in Nicotiana benthamiana

RNA silencing is a sequence specific post-transcriptional mechanism regulating important biological processes including antiviral defense in plants. Argonaute (AGO) proteins, the catalytic subunits of complexes, are loaded with small RNAs to execute cleavage or translational inhibition. Plants encode several AGO proteins and few them, especially AGO1 AGO2, have been shown be required for silencing. Previously, we that P1 protein sweet potato mild mottle virus (SPMMV) suppresses primary response by inhibiting AGO1. To analyze role AGO2 against SPMMV, performed comparative study using wild type ago2?/? mutant Nicotiana benthamiana. Here show N. benthamiana attenuates symptoms SPMMV infection. Upon infection levels mRNA greatly increased. Moreover, found derived viral as well miRNAs. Our results indicate takes over place confer Finally, provide plausible explanation mediated recovery an SPMMV-infected potato.