Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lab members Brandon Roy and Jess Choi work together to publish a paper revolved around the molecular mechanics of grapevine fanleaf virus, a serious threat to grapevine production worldwide. With the advent of new software for protein prediction, they leveraged the capacity of protein modeling on the entire GFLV genome to analyze and postulate functions of each protein. Two strains with the most currently available published data, ‘GHu’ and ‘F13’, were parsed for protein encoding regions and analyzed for three-dimensional confirmation models. The models produced from over 20 programs ranged in confidence and they identified two algorithms to be the most confident; AlphaFold2 and D-I-TASSER. These models, along with other confirmatory analyses confirmed eight previously known molecular functions of GFLV proteins, and predicted several additional functions across the entire genome and satellite RNA molecule. This work represents an updated understanding of the GFLV genome and strategically points to future directions in elucidating the molecular biology of GFLV.

Biomolecules: 14(1), 62

Congratulations to Anna and Maddie on defending your theses. We could not be more proud or excited to see what scientific discoveries you contribute to plant virology next!

In this work, we demonstrate the ability of two distinct genetic groupings of the treehopper, Spissistilus festinus i.e., California (CA) and Southeastern (SE) to reproduce. Furthermore, we assessed differences in transmission of GRBV by the F1 generations of CA and SE S. festinus. This is the first report of distinct GRBV transmission abilities of the two sexually compatible S. festinus populations, underscoring the need to study GRBV spread in the Southeastern United States.

Flasco et al. (2023) Insects

Tori Hoyle is awarded a USDA- NIFA predoctoral fellowship to study the vector ecology of Spissistilus festinus and transmission of grapevine red blotch virus.

Congratulation to Maddie Flasco for receiving the 2023 Gilmer Award, given in celebration and memory of Robert M. Gilmer!

In this work, we demonstrate patterns in red blotch disease onset as it relates to grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) infection source. When the scion is the source of infection, disease symptoms are apparent one year post-planting; whereas infected rootstocks may take three-to-five years. Furthermore, we used diagnostic tools to determine the GRBV phylogenetic clade presence in vineyards and surrounding inoculum to determine levels of secondary spread within the vineyards. This is the first work to use phylogenetic clade differentiation in conjunction with spatial analysis to disentangle GRBV infections due to the planting material and S. festinus-mediated transmission

Flasco et al. (2023) Viruses

Congratulations Brandon on being awarded the IES Research Grant!

“This award is available to graduate students in any field of study whose research is focused on the study of Europe and its global impact.”

Brandon is receiving this grant for his project: “Getting to the roots of plant virus transmission by a soil-borne vector.”

Here, Brandon summarizes changes in the proteome and transcriptome of Nicotiana benthamiana plants infected by grapevine fanleaf virus. Utilizing comparative, time-course liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and sequence analysis, we show protein and gene ontologies related to immune response and gene regulation to be overrepresented at peak symptom observations. The systems biology approach taken in this work highlights the power of a single amino acid of plant viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase to mediate changes in the host proteome and transcriptome.

Roy et al. (2023) Journal of Proteome Research

Anna Wunsch was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Service Award given by the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association at Cornell University. Anna has demonstrated a selfless commitment to serving the interests of the Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB) graduate student body and has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the interests of PPPMB graduate students. As a voting member of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, Vice President of SAGES, co-chair of the Social Committee for the PPPMB Graduate Student Association, and mentor to new students, Anna has engaged with and supported countless initiatives and events in PPPMB.

In this work, Maddie publishes the first documentation of the three-cornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH), Spissistilus festinus transmitting grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) in vineyard settings. Transmission was facilitated when two TCAH fed upon a single leaf, a design we deemed the “lollipop” sleeve method. Furthermore, this is the first account of TCAH acquiring GRBV to the salivary glands from infected grapevines in the vineyard. Together, this work solidifies the epidemiological role of the TCAH in GRBV epidemiology.

Flasco et al. (2023) Viruses