Contrasting Evolutionary Dynamics and Global Dissemination of the DNA-A and DNA-B Components of Watermelon Chlorotic Stunt Virus.

ABSTRACT: Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus (WmCSV), a bipartite begomovirus, poses a severe and expanding threat to global cucurbit and watermelon production, driving an urgent need to unravel its genetic diversity indices and evolutionary complexities. To elucidate its evolutionary history, this study investigated the genetic diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and global dispersal of its genomic components, DNA-A (WmA) and DNA-B (WmB). The analyses uncovered striking contrasts between the components. WmB exhibited markedly greater genetic diversity (π = 0.0508 vs. 0.0119 for WmA), a slightly faster evolutionary rate (1.26 × 10^-4 vs. 1.44 × 10^-3 substitutions/site/year), and a far more complex recombination profile, with 34 events detected compared to only one in WmA. The abunda

SUBMITTER: Iqbal Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737365 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature