All eggs in one basket: How potyvirus infection is controlled at a single cap-independent translation event

Regulation of protein synthesis is a strong determinant of potyviral pathogenicity. The Potyviridae family is the largest family of plant-infecting positive sense RNA viruses. Similar to the animal-infecting Picornaviridae family, the potyviral RNA genome lacks a 5′ cap, and instead has a viral protein (VPg) linked to its 5′ end. Potyviral genomes are mainly translated into one large polyprotein relying on a single translation event to express all their protein repertoire. In the absence of the 5′ cap, the Potyviridae family depends on cis-acting elements in their 5′ untranslated regions (UTR) to recruit the translation machinery. In this review, we summarize the diverse 5′UTR-driven, cap-independent translation mechanisms employed by the Potyviridae family including scanning-dependent mechanism, internal initiation, and the stimulatory role of the VPg. These mechanisms have direct implications on potyviral pathogenicity, including host range specificity and resistance. Finally, we discuss how these viral strategies could not only inform new avenues for engineering and/or breeding for crop resistance but would also provide opportunities for the development of biotechnological tools for large-scale protein production in plant systems.