Reciprocal assistance for aphid transmission between non-transmissible strains of zucchini yellow mosaic potyvirus in mixed infections. Brief report.

Several aphid non-transmissible strains of zucchini yellow mosaic potyvirus (ZYMV) have been described, in relation with mutations in the two viral proteins required for transmissibility, coat protein and helper component. Assistance mechanisms were previously shown to allow transmission of such strains when functional proteins are provided in trans. In this paper, we used monoclonal antibodies to allow a specific detection of two aphid non-transmissible strains of ZYMV and we revealed that reciprocal assistance mechanisms can mediate simultaneous aphid transmission of these deficient strains. Potential epidemiological and evolutive consequences of such assistance mechanisms between variants in complex virus populations are discussed.