On the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2
Peking University · Chinese Academy of Sciences · +4 more institutions
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic started in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since impacted a large portion of China and raised major global concern. Herein, we investigated the extent of molecular divergence between SARS-CoV-2 and other related coronaviruses. Although we found only 4% variability in genomic nucleotides between SARS-CoV-2 and a bat SARS-related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV; RaTG13), the difference at neutral sites was 17%, suggesting the divergence between the two viruses is much larger than previously estimated. Our results suggest that the development of new variations in functional sites in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike seen in SARS-CoV-2 and viruses from pangolin SARSr-CoVs…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 43.35
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 55
Authors
12Topics & keywords
- Biology
- Lineage (genetic)
- Evolutionary biology
- Coronavirus
- Phylogenetic tree
- Genetics
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
- Population
- Good health and well-being