A systems biology approach to the evolution of plant–virus interactions

Omic approaches to the analysis of plant–virus interactions are becoming increasingly popular. These types of data, in combination with models of interaction networks, will aid in revealing not only host components that are important for the virus life cycle, but also general patterns about the way in which different viruses manipulate host regulation of gene expression for their own benefit and possible mechanisms by which viruses evade host defenses. Here, we review studies identifying host genes regulated by viruses and discuss how these genes integrate in host regulatory and interaction networks, with a particular focus on the physical properties of these networks.

► Genomic systems biology offers a new approach to the study of plant–virus interactions, whereby computational techniques allow construction of large-scale network models and integration of experimental data into a whole picture. ► Previous studies have shown that animal viruses preferentially alter the expression of highly connected genes. A question that naturally arises is whether plant viruses exert the same mode of action. ► Virus evolution and adaptation to new hosts result in profound changes in the patterns of host gene expression that correlate to stronger symptoms.