Abstract: 【Aim】 To screen and identify the protein interacting with the tomato zonate spot virus (TZSV) NSs protein in the western flower thrips, Franiklinella ocicdentalis. 【Methods】 The protein in F. ocicdentalis interacting with TZSV NSs was screened by yeast two-hybrid technique. After sequence analysis, the captured protein and NSs genes were cotransformed into yeast cells, and their interaction was identified by nutrient deficient medium. Furthermore, GST Pull-down was used to confirm the interaction of NSs and the identified protein in F. ocicdentalis in vitro. 【Results】 pGBKT7-NSs, a yeast two-hybrid bait plasmid of TZSV NSs, was constructed, and it showed no toxicity and no autoactivition to AH109 yeast cell. Sequence analysis showed that a voltage-dependent anion-selective channel-like (VDAC) protein of F. ocicdentalis interacted with TZSV NSs. The cotransformation test results showed that there was a specific interaction between TZSV NSs and VDAC in yeast cell. The GST Pull-down results showed that there was interaction between TZSV NSs and VDAC in vitro. 【Conclusion】 The specific interaction between TZSV NSs and F. ocicdentalis VDAC was confirmed in yeast cell and in vitro by yeast two-hybrid and GST Pull-down techniques, respectively. The results are helpful to reveal the mechanism of the protein VDAC regulating the transmission of persistent-propagative plant viruses in F. ocicdentalis and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of insect-borne virus diseases.

Key words: Franiklinella ocicdentalis, yeast two-hybrid, tomato zonate spot virus, NSs protein, VDAC