What is "alphasatellite"

Alphasatellites are single stranded satellite DNA that are dependent on a virus for transmission. The genome is a single circular single strand DNA molecule. The first alphasatellites were described in 1999 and were associated with cotton leaf curl disease and Ageratum yellow vein disease. As begomoviruses are being characterised at the molecular level an increasing number of alphasatellites are being described.

These viruses were earlier known as DNA 1 components.

These viruses are generally found in the Old World. A number have been isolated from the New World but their association with their host viruses is still being studied.