Interplay between co-divergence and cross-species transmission in the evolutionary history of bat coronaviruses.

ABSTRACT: Coronaviruses (CoVs) have been documented in almost every species of bat sampled. Bat CoVs exhibit both extensive genetic diversity and a broad geographic range, indicative of a long-standing host association. Despite this, the respective roles of long-term virus-host co-divergence and cross-species transmission (host-jumping) in the evolution of bat coronaviruses are unclear. Using a phylogenetic approach we provide evidence that CoV diversity in bats is shaped by both species richness and their geographical distribution, and that CoVs exhibit clustering at the level of bat genera, with these genus-specific clusters largely associated with distinct CoV species. Co-phylogenetic analyses revealed that cross-species transmission has been more common than co-divergence across coronavirus evol

SUBMITTER: Leopardi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7106311 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature