Fig. 3

Natural variation of coat protein (CP) from different WYMV isolates was involved in WYMV infection. a The schematic diagram of the infectious clones containing CP from different WYMV isolates (Wuhu-2021, Junan-2021, Baoji-2021, Yangzhou-2021, Ninghai-2021, Xuzhou-2022, and Luohe-2022). The CP on the previous WYMV infectious clone was replaced by the nucleotides of the CP sequence of different WYMV isolates obtained in this study. pCB-SP6-R1 represented of the WYMV infectious clone. b Relative expression of viral RNA in the systemic leaves of wheat plants inoculated with the infectious clones containing CP from different WYMV isolates at 28 days post-infiltration (dpi). Data shown are the means of three biological replicates ± the SE. The values were normalized to those for the reference gene (Cell Division Control protein, TaCDC) and are presented as fold changes in expression relative to that in control plants. Asterisks indicate significant differences in expression between wheat leaves inoculated with control and the infectious clones containing CP from different WYMV isolates when analyzed using a Student’s t-test (P < 0.05). Control, wheat leaves inoculated with WYMV infectious clones which were constructed in previous study. c The systemic leaves of the wheat plant inoculated with the infectious clones containing CP from different WYMV isolates were harvested for testing the accumulation of viral protein by Western blot assay using CP specific antibody at 28 dpi. d The phenotype of wheat plants inoculated with the infectious clones containing CP of different WYMV isolates at 40 dpi