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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.01.715815

Aphid Salivary MIF Modulates Plant Programmed Cell Death and DNA Damage Response and Interacts with SOG1

Menuet, K.·Lupatelli, C. A.·Fazari, A.·Fricaux, T.·Sousa, G. d.·de Almeida Engler, J.·Coustau, C.
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Abstract

The establishment of aphid-plant interaction involves the secretion of a salivary MIF protein. Morphological analyses revealed that aphid MpMIF1 prevents plant cell death, protects organelles from stress, and may promote plant cellular recovery. Co-expression of aphid MpMIF1 and the cell death inducer Npp1 revealed that MpMIF1 modulates autophagy-related genes ATG7/BECLIN1, impair plant senescence regulator ATAF1 and regulate apoptosis-like via Caspase-3-like activity. This effect on multiple-cell death pathways helps to maintain cellular homeostasis during aphid infection. Investigations on DNA Damage Response (DDR) signaling pathways demonstrated that aphid MpMIF1 reduces {gamma}H2A.X phosphorylation, maintains activity of the DNA repair protein RAD51 and stabilizes cell cycle checkpoint expression WEE1 under genotoxic stress. Therefore, MpMIF1 actively participates to the maintenance of a functional DDR. Finally, we showed that aphid MpMIF1 physically interacts with SOG1, a functional analog of animal p53 and central regulator of DDR, cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death in plants. These findings establish MpMIF1 as a key regulator of plant cell death during aphid-plant interactions and highlight its potential as a biotechnological tool for protecting major crops against aphid infection.

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Menuet, K., Lupatelli, C. A., Fazari, A., Fricaux, T., Sousa, G. d., de Almeida Engler, J., Coustau, C.. 2026-04-03. Aphid Salivary MIF Modulates Plant Programmed Cell Death and DNA Damage Response and Interacts with SOG1. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715815

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