Tracing the origins of SARS-COV-2 in coronavirus phylogenies: a review.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is a new human coronavirus (CoV), which emerged in China in late 2019 and is responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic that caused more than 97 million infections and 2 million deaths in 12 months. Understanding the origin of this virus is an important issue, and it is necessary to determine the mechanisms of viral dissemination in order to contain future epidemics. Based on phylogenetic inferences, sequence analysis and structure-function relationships of coronavirus proteins, informed by the knowledge currently available on the virus, we discuss the different scenarios on the origin-natural or synthetic-of the virus. The data currently available are not sufficient to firmly assert whether SARS-CoV2 results from a zoonotic emergence or from an accidental escape of a laborato

SUBMITTER: Sallard E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7859469 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature