RNA silencing against viruses: molecular arms race between Cucumber mosaic virus and its host

Plants have developed RNA silencing as an antiviral defense mechanism. To escape from the plant host’s defenses, viruses have countered their host’s antiviral silencing by producing RNA silencing suppressor proteins (RSSs). Although the mode of action of the majority of viral RSSs has been found to be through double-stranded RNA-binding, viruses have different strategies to counteract the host’s antiviral silencing pathways. The 2b protein of Cucumber mosaic virus, which is one of the most extensively studied viral RSSs, is reviewed here to provide insights on the molecular arms race between viruses and their host plants.