Dissecting the cell-type specific role of a dominant resistance gene during viral infection [scRNA-Seq]

However, given the diversity of plant cell types and their developmental paths, the specific roles of R genes in distinct cell types remain unclear. Using tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), which partially overcomes the tobamovirus resistance gene Tm-22, this study employed single-cell RNA sequencing to explore infection dynamics and Tm-22-mediated responses at the cellular level.

Results indicated that upon ToBRFV infection, the Tm-22 gene and the tm-2 allele, which carries a recessive form of Tm-22, differentially regulate the composition of cell types in tomato leaves. Tm-22 does not fully inhibit viral entry or movement during the early stages but selectively restricts viral replication or accumulation in certain cell types. ToBRFV differentially modulates signaling pathways depending on cell type and genotype, including Tm-22 and tm-2 homozygotes.