Molecular dialogues in plant rhabdovirus-host interactions.

Plant Viruses as Master Manipulators: Exploiting Host Plants and Insect Vectors for Enhanced Transmission.

This review highlights current understanding of these multifaceted interactions, positioning plant viruses as master regulators of the intricate tripartite interactions and opens new possibilities for designing targeted, sustainable interventions to disrupt viral transmission in crops.

Comparative anti-viral immune strategies in insects and vertebrates: Insights from Bombyx mori.

Antiviral immunity is a conserved biological process that is critical for host survival, although its strategies vary among taxa. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, serves as a unique invertebrate model for studying both conserved and species-specific antiviral mechanisms, with implications for fundamental biology and sericulture. Here, we integrate and compare classical signalling pathways, epigenetic regulation, and RNA-mediated defenses to demonstrate how these mechanisms coordinate to regulate antiviral immune responses. Comparative analyses reveal conserved processes such as RNA interference, alongside insect-specific adaptations, such as melanization, which differ from vertebrate interferon responses. We also discuss emerging technologies, including live-cell imaging, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and CRISPR-based functional genomics, which are revolutionizing the study of host-virus interactions at unprecedented resolution. Translational opportunities consist of engineering virus-resistant silkworm strains and developing RNA-based antiviral strategies. In conclusion, we present an integrated network model linking signalling, RNA, and epigenetic regulation across species, providing a conceptual framework to guide mechanistic studies, cross-species comparisons, and the development of next-generation antiviral strategies.

Mycoviruses at the Crossroads: Molecular Mechanisms, Cross‐Kingdom Interactions, and Abiotic Stress in the Phytobiome

Mycoviruses, viruses that infect fungi, have emerged as pivotal modulators of fungal biology with far‐reaching consequences for plant health. Once regarded as mere curiosities of mycology, mycoviruses are now recognized as key players in tripartite mycovirus–fungus–plant interactions that reshape disease outcomes, endophytic lifestyles, and ecosystem resilience. Recent discoveries of cross‐kingdom infection, core virome‐mediated thermal tolerance, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling hubs have substantially expanded our understanding of mycovirus biology. In parallel, mounting evidence implicates abiotic stressors—temperature fluctuations, drought, and elevated CO2—as critical yet underappreciated modulators of these tripartite interactions. This minireview synthesizes advances from 2018 to 2026, with emphasis on: (i) the expanding diversity and cross‐kingdom capacity of mycoviruses, (ii) molecular mechanisms underlying hypovirulence, hypervirulence, and endophyte conversion, (iii) the emerging ROS–autophagy–RNA silencing signaling nexus, and (iv) how abiotic stress reshapes mycovirus–fungus–plant dynamics. We propose an integrative framework positioning mycoviruses as environmental sensors and ecological switches within the phytobiome, and identify critical knowledge gaps that must be addressed to harness mycoviruses for sustainable crop protection under climate change.

Aphid–plant interactions: from molecular games to ecological outcomes

Molecular insights into symbiotic microbe transmission in hemipteran insects.

Most hemipteran insects are plant sap-feeders that maintain diverse symbionts, which are essential for their nutrition, development, and defense. Elucidating the mechanisms governing the symbiont transmission is fundamental to understanding ecological adaptations of these insects. This review synthesizes current molecular insights underlying symbiotic microbe transmission in hemipterans. We explore the diverse strategies that these insects acquire, maintain, and transmit their symbiotic microbes, with particular emphasis on the molecular determinants involved in these processes. The discussion encompasses the role of immune system modulation in facilitating symbiont accommodation, the molecular machinery responsible for symbiont packaging and transfer, and the influence of environmental factors on transmission fidelity. Furthermore, we highlight recent advances in identifying insect- and symbiont-derived molecules that mediate these interactions, providing a detailed perspective on the intricate molecular dialogue between host and symbiont. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive overview of the molecular landscape shaping symbiotic microbe transmission in hemipteran insects.

Endosymbiont effects on vector manipulation by insect‐borne plant viruses

It is argued that endosymbionts are often a key component of the selective environment experienced by vectors and viruses and hypothesize that they may play important roles in modulating the direction and magnitude of virus‐induced effects on plant–insect interactions.