Trial of starch

Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus affects the plant Nicotiana benthamiana

The microphotographs show chloroplasts in the leaf cells of the wild tobacco plant Nicotiana benthamiana. Chloroplasts are responsible for photosynthesis and the ‘green’ in the plant. The chloroplasts in the left image are infected by the pathogenic tomato yellow leaf curl China virus, while the chloroplasts in the right image show no infection. The comparison of both images shows that the virus’s own C4 protein causes an accumulation of starch in the chloroplasts – recognisable by the two white, bubble-like structures. The biological relevance of this phenomenon is currently being investigated. The tomato yellow leaf curl China virus belongs to the Geminiviruses. They are transmitted by insects and can cause major economic damage in agriculture. The scientist took both images using a transmission electron microscope (TEM).