Virus infection and host response: a dynamic equilibrium between plant health and plant disease

Viruses are completely dependent on host cell machinery for their entire life cycle, including replication and host invasion. Tight molecular interactions are established between viruses and their hosts, and many cell functions are hampered, boosted, modified, or hijacked for the sake of successful viral infections. However, plants are immune to most virus species they come in contact with, and most compatible plant-virus interactions are asymptomatic and do not alter vital plant functions. This condition is due to a multiple defense system based on a range of regulatory mechanisms and factors including specific plant resistance (R) proteins and RNA Silencing. Therefore, successful virus infections need to elude and overcome the host immune system. Our research interests focus on understanding critical factors influencing success or failure of virus infections, also in the view of implementing efficient control strategies particularly in the face of the effects of global climate changes and diverse agro-ecosystems on plant health.We present recent work of our group that includes research topics such as viral effects on host gene and microRNA expression profiles, virus-induced gene silencing, viral suppression of RNA silencing, innovative virus control strategies and biotechnological applications, among others.