Recombinant DNA beta molecules (RecDNA-Abeta) comprising parts of DNA A and DNA beta associated with tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) have been identified in naturally infected tobacco plants. Several examples of the recombinant DNA have been cloned and characterized by sequence analysis. All are approximately half the size of TYLCCNV genomic DNA, and all contain the betaC1 gene and the A-rich region from TYLCCNV DNA beta as well as intergenic region sequences and the 5' terminus of the AC1 gene from TYLCCNV DNA A. RecDNA-Abeta was detected by PCR in five of 25 TYLCCNV isolates. Co-inoculation of TYLCCNV DNA A and RecDNA-Abeta induced symptoms indistinguishable from those induced by TYLCCNV DNA A and DNA beta in Nicotiana benthamiana, Nicotiana glutinosa, Solanum lycopersicum and Petunia hybrida plants, and Southern blot hybridization results showed that RecDNA-Abeta could replicate stably in N. benthamiana plants.