Diversity of small, single-stranded DNA viruses of invertebrates and their chaotic evolutionary past

•Comparison of genome structure and expression of single-stranded DNA viruses of invertebrates.•Pathogenicity of single-stranded DNA viruses of invertebrates.•Origin and evolution of single-stranded DNA viruses.•Key genes of genomes of single-stranded DNA viruses.•3-D structure of single-stranded DNA viruses.•Frequent horizontal gene transfer and chimerism of single-stranded DNA virus genomes.

A wide spectrum of invertebrates is susceptible to various single-stranded DNA viruses. Their relative simplicity of replication and dependence on actively dividing cells makes them highly pathogenic for many invertebrates (Hexapoda, Decapoda, etc.). We present their taxonomical classification and describe the evolutionary relationships between various groups of invertebrate-infecting viruses, their high degree of recombination, and their relationship to viruses infecting mammals or other vertebrates. They share characteristics of the viruses within the various families, including structure of the virus particle, genome properties, and gene expression strategy.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide