Peptides and Peptidomics: A Tool with Potential in Control of Plant Viral Diseases

Abstract

Plant viruses are the most infectious agents in commercially important crops worldwide. Plant viral diseases are important because both decreased yielding and quality of fruits, flowers or vegetables lead to million-dollar losses in production. At present there are no reports which suggest a direct control of plant virus. A new strategy for plant virus control has been raised since 13 years ago—the use of peptides. Peptides could offer a direct interaction by affinity selection against viral proteins involved in infection cycle, like capsid or movement protein (e.g.) and affect viral replication. Peptidomics, as a new tool to study peptides, led us screening and selecting the best peptide with antiviral activity, and re-designing it to enhance the biological effect as well as the potential of bioactivity of those peptides secreted by microbes present in soil. In this paper we review current aspects in the use of peptides and peptidomics as a strategy to study new methods that lead a direct control against plant viral diseases.