Evolution of geminiviruses and their satellites

Abstract

Geminiviruses and their satellites have circular single stranded DNA genomes, infecting many crops and weeds across the globe. To successfully invade new hosts, break host resistance, move virus particles within and between plants, geminiviruses and their satellites have evolved a coordinated network of protein interactions, showing a possible evolutionary path. Humans have played an important role in the last century to promote the emergence of many geminivirus diseases, thereby impacting their evolution. The greatest molecular diversity of geminiviruses and their satellites resides in Southeast Asia revealing a possible center of origin. This minireview leads us to a possible general grand scheme of their evolution.