Genomic recombination events may reveal the evolution of coronavirus and the origin of SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: To trace the evolution of coronaviruses and reveal the possible origin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we collected and thoroughly analyzed 29,452 publicly available coronavirus genomes, including 26,312 genomes of SARS-CoV-2 strains. We observed coronavirus recombination events among different hosts including 3 independent recombination events with statistical significance between some isolates from humans, bats and pangolins. Consistent with previous records, we also detected putative recombination between strains similar or related to Bat-CoV-RaTG13 and Pangolin-CoV-2019. The putative recombination region is located inside the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein (S protein), wh

SUBMITTER: Zhu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7728743 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature