Virus-induced ultrastructural changes in plant cells

Abstract

All intracellular pathogens, including plant viruses, rely heavily on host cell organelles and metabolites for successful infection and multiplication. During infection, many viruses trigger changes in the host cellular structure, leading to the development of inclusion bodies that typically harbour viral structural and functional proteins. Identifying these inclusion bodies has become an essential diagnostic feature for specific viral infections. Viral inclusions form in various types, differing in location, size, contents, and potential functions. Viruses use these inclusion bodies to ‘house’ a complex mixture of proteins from both the virus and the host cell, aiding in virus replication, translation, and movement within and between cells. These aggregated structures may also serve to shield viral functional complexes from the host defence machinery responsible for viral degradation. This review provides comprehensive information on the existing and recent advances in the ultrastructural changes caused by plant viruses. These ultrastructural changes include the formation of viral inclusion bodies, modifications to the cell cytoskeleton components, endomembrane systems, and various cell organelles. Consequently, this review highlights the strategies used by viruses to replicate, hijack host cell machinery, and disseminate within plant cells.