Fig 1. TYLCV infection subverts plant JA signaling pathway to benefit whitefly.

(A) Survival rate of adult whitefly on control and TYLCV-infected tobacco plants. Values are means±SE, n = 30. (B) Daily number of eggs laid per female whitefly on control and TYLCV-infected tobacco plants. Values are means±SE, n = 30. (C) Survival rate of non-viruliferous and viruliferous adult whiteflies on cotton plants. Values are means±SE, n = 30. (D) Daily number of eggs laid per non-viruliferous and viruliferous adult female whiteflies on cotton plants. Values are means±SE, n = 30. (E) Expression of JA synthesis-related genes [allene oxide synthase (AOS), allene oxide cyclase (AOC) and 12-oxophytodienoate reductase 3 (OPR3)] in healthy (H), whitefly infestation (W), TYLCV infection (V) plants and plants with both TYLCV and whiteflies (VW). Values are means±SE, n = 8. (F) JA content in tobacco plants after different treatments: healthy (H), whitefly infestation (W), TYLCV infection (V) plants and plants with both TYLCV and whiteflies (VW) and wounding plants. Values are means±SE, n>6. (G) Expression of genes related to terpene syntheses [epi-arisotolchene synthase (EAS), epi-arisotolchene syntheses 12 (EAS12), terpenoid cyclase (cyclase)] in healthy (H), whitefly infestation (W), TYLCV infection (V) plants and plants with both TYLCV and whiteflies (VW). Values are means±SE, n = 8. (H) Expression levels of MYC2 in healthy (H), whitefly infestation (W), TYLCV infection (V) plants and plants with both TYLCV and whiteflies (VW). Values are means±SE, n = 8. (I) Expression level of genes related to nicotine syntheses in healthy (H), whitefly infestation (W), TYLCV infection (V) plants and plants with both TYLCV and whiteflies (VW). Values are means±SE, n = 8. Asterisks or different letters above the bars indicate significant differences between different treatments (P < 0.05; Student’s t test for all experiments). All experiments were repeated three times with similar results.