Transcriptome of the Maize Leafhopper ( Dalbulus maidis ) and Its Transcriptional Response to Maize Rayado Fino Virus (MRFV), Which It Transmits in a Persistent, Propagative Manner

The transcriptome of the corn leafhopper, D. maidis , revealed conserved biochemical pathways for immunity and discovered transcripts responsive to MRFV-infected plants at two time points, providing a basis for functional identification of genes that either limit or promote the virus-vector interaction. Compared to other hopper species and the propagative plant viruses they transmit, D. maidis shared 15 responsive transcripts with S. furcifera (to southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus [SRBSDV]), one with G. nigrifrons (to maize fine streak virus [MFSV]), and one with P. maidis (to maize mosaic virus [MMV]), but no virus-responsive transcripts identified were shared among all four hopper vector species.

Complete Genome Sequence of Maize Mosaic Nucleorhabdovirus

The complete genome sequence of maize mosaic virus (MMV) was obtained using next-generation sequencing from infected Peregrinus maidis and rapid amplification of cDNA ends from infected Zea mays. The genome of MMV is 12,170 bases, and this project completed the 5′ and 3′ ends and amended the polymerase sequence.