ABSTRACT Disease complexes caused by geminiviruses have the potential to disrupt plant physiology and have severe consequences for a variety of economically significant crops around the world. The epidemic challenge for global food security is increased by the diverse geminivirus betasatellite interactions. Our previous study showed that the pathogenic response of DNA -A is enhanced in the association of betasatellite monopartite on chilli plants. Here, we explored the interactions of AV2, βC1 and AV2-βC1 complex viral proteins with eleven chilli host proteins; Helix-loop-helix transcription factor (MYC2), Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme, Asymmetric Leaves 1 (AS1), S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH), Catalase 2, RNA - Dependent RNA Polymerase 6 (RDR6), Suppressor of Gene Silencing 3 (SGS3), and S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (SKP1) through protein model generation via homology modelling and molecular docking analysis. Our findings suggest that βC1 showed the highest interaction with MYC2 protein, AV2 with CaRDR1 and AV2-βC1 with CaF1 as compared to other proteins.AV2-βC1 complex has the highest affinity towards all the host proteins and induces more pathogenic symptoms. We have provided the primary results of βC1 and host interaction, but its validation is required, which will be our further studies.

Keywords: Begomovirus, chilli, homology modelling, molecular docking