Conclusions
The study highlights the potential of phytophagous insects as reservoirs for viral re-assortment and that plants should be considered as reservoirs for emerging viruses that may be potentially pathogenic to humans.
Methods
Providence virus, an insect virus, was used to establish a productive infection in Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) plants. Providence virus particles purified from these cowpea plants were used to infect two mammalian cell lines. Findings: Here, we present evidence that Providence virus, a non-enveloped insect RNA virus, isolated from a lepidopteran midgut cell line can establish a productive infection in plants as well as in animal cells. The observation that Providence virus can readily infect both plants and mammalian cell culture lines demonstrates the ability of an insect RNA virus to establish productive infections across two kingdoms, in plants and invertebrate and vertebrate animal cell lines. Conclusions: The study highlights the potential of phytophagous insects as reservoirs for viral re-assortment and that plants should be considered as reservoirs for emerging viruses that may be potentially pathogenic to humans.