title: Association of an atypical alphasatellite with a bipartite New World begomovirus.
abstract: The complete sequence of a watermelon-infecting Venezuelan begomovirus was obtained; it corresponds to that of the partially characterized melon chlorotic mosaic virus (MeCMV). MeCMV is a typical bipartite New World begomovirus. A putative alphasatellite, MeCMVa1, was found associated with MeCMV. This is the first satellite detected in the New World, and the first natural association of an alphasatellite with a bipartite begomovirus. The sequence of MeCMVa1 diverged highly from those of other alphasatellites, except for two atypical ones, which, like MeCMVa1, had a putative ORF2 embedded in the Rep-encoding ORF1. These findings raise new questions about the origin and evolution of subviral agents associated with begomoviruses.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Centro de Biotecnología, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geraud-Pouey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desbiez
mesh_terms: D053839:Begomovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D029773:Citrullus / Q000821:virology; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014687:Venezuela
chemical_list: D004276:DNA, Satellite