Defective and Satellite DNAs of DNA Plant Viruses

In addition to the full-length viral DNA genome, various types of smaller specific DNA molecules have been isolated from plants infected by DNA viruses. These DNAs are usually derived from viral genomes by different ways or have non-viral genome sequences. Some of these DNA have no significant effect on the virus cycle and on the incidence and progression of the disease, while some of them inducing the viral disease symptoms. These components that are known as satellite, defective and defective interfering DNAs, depend on helper viruses for replication, encapsidation and movement in plants. Satellites have no significant homology with the helper virus genome. However, they are required for inducing disease symptoms. While defective and defective interfering DNAs exhibit high homology with the genome of helper viruses, only defective interfering DNAs have ability to interfere with virus replication and with disease symptom induction and development. In this paper, the characteristics of these subviral DNAs and the possible mechanisms by which they are generated and transmitted in virus infected plants are discussed.