The interactions between plant viruses and insect vectors are very complex. In recent years, RNA sequencing data have been used to elucidate critical genes ofTomato spotted wilt ortho-tospovirus(TSWV) andFrankliniella occidentalis(F. occidentalis). However, very little is known about the essential genes involved in thrips acquisition and transmission of TSWV. Based on transcriptome data ofF. occidentalisinfected with TSWV, we verified the complete sequence of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligaseUBR7gene (UBR7), which is closely related to virus transmission. Additionally, we found that UBR7 belongs to the E3 ubiquitin–protein ligase family that is highly expressed in adulthood inF. occidentalis. UBR7 could interfere with virus replication and thus affect the transmission efficiency ofF. occidentalis. With lowURB7expression, TSWV transmission efficiency decreased, while TSWV acquisition efficiency was unaffected. Moreover, the direct interaction between UBR7 and the nucleocapsid (N) protein of TSWV was investigated through surface plasmon resonance and GST pull-down. In conclusion, we found that UBR7 is a crucial protein for TSWV transmission byF. occidentalis, as it directly interacts with TSWV N. This study provides a new direction for developing green pesticides targeting E3 ubiquitin to control TSWV andF. occidentalis.