Discovery of a novel coronavirus associated with the recent pneumonia outbreak in humans and its potential bat origin

Abstract

Since the SARS outbreak 18 years ago, a large number of severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV) have been discovered in their natural reservoir host, bats1-4. Previous studies indicated that some of those bat SARSr-CoVs have the potential to infect humans5-7. Here we report the identification and characterization of a novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019) which caused an epidemic of acute respiratory syndrome in humans, in Wuhan, China. The epidemic, started from December 12th, 2019, has caused 198 laboratory confirmed infections with three fatal cases by January 20th, 2020. Full-length genome sequences were obtained from five patients at the early stage of the outbreak. They are almost identical to each other and share 79.5% sequence identify to SARS-CoV. Furthermore, it was found that nCoV-2019 is 96% identical at the whole genome level to a bat coronavirus. The pairwise protein sequence analysis of seven conserved non-structural proteins show that this virus belongs to the species of SARSr-CoV. The nCoV-2019 virus was then isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a critically ill patient, which can be neutralized by sera from several patients. Importantly, we have confirmed that this novel CoV uses the same cell entry receptor, ACE2, as SARS-CoV.

Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding

“…Therefore, we suggest that 2019-nCoV might use ACE2 as the receptor, despite the presence of amino acid mutations in the 2019-nCoV receptor-binding domain. Although a previous study using HeLa cells expressing ACE2 proteins showed that 2019-nCoV could employ the ACE2 receptor, 37 whether these mutations affect ACE2 binding or change receptor tropism requires further study.…”

New insights on the antiviral effects of chloroquine against coronavirus: what to expect for COVID-19?

“…Despite drastic containment measures, the spread of 2019-nCoV, now officially known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is ongoing. Phylogenetic analysis of this virus indicated that it is different (~80% nucleotide identity) but related to SARS-CoV-1 [15]. Because the world is threatened by the possibility of a SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the broad-spectrum antiviral effects of chloroquine warranted particular attention for repurposing this drug in the therapy of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).…”

The next big threat to global health? 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV): What advice can we give to travellers? – Interim recommendations January 2020, from the Latin-American society for Travel Medicine (SLAMVI)

“…On December 12th, 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission (WMHC) in the People's Republic of China reported 27 human cases of viral pneumonia, 7 of them seriously ill. All had a shared exposure in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where farm animals, bats, and snakes were also sold [1,2].…”

“…These are important pathogens of humans and other vertebrates. They can infect the respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic and central nervous system tracts of man, cattle, birds, bats [2], rodents and various wild animals [10]. Coronaviruses, like influenza viruses, circulate in nature in various animal species.…”

“…Coronaviruses, like influenza viruses, circulate in nature in various animal species. Alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses can infect mammals and gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses infect birds, but some of them can also be transmitted to mammals [2].…”