Identifying SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins

Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Na Jia, Ya-Wei Zhang, Marcus Ho-Hin Shum, Jia-Fu Jiang, Hua-Chen Zhu, Yi-Gang Tong, Yong-Xia Shi, Xue-Bing Ni, Yun-Shi Liao, Wen-Juan Li, Bao-Gui Jiang, Wei Wei, Ting-Ting Yuan, Kui Zheng, Xiao-Ming Cui, Jie Li, Guang-Qian Pei, Xin Qiang, William Yiu-Man Cheung, Lian-Feng Li, Fang-Fang Sun, Si Qin, Ji-Cheng Huang, Gabriel M. Leung, Edward C. Holmes, Yan-Ling Hu (), Yi Guan () and Wu-Chun Cao ()
Additional contact information
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam: Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University
Na Jia: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Ya-Wei Zhang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Marcus Ho-Hin Shum: The University of Hong Kong
Jia-Fu Jiang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Hua-Chen Zhu: Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University
Yi-Gang Tong: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Yong-Xia Shi: Guangzhou Customs Technology Center
Xue-Bing Ni: The University of Hong Kong
Yun-Shi Liao: The University of Hong Kong
Wen-Juan Li: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Bao-Gui Jiang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Wei Wei: Guangxi Medical University
Ting-Ting Yuan: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Kui Zheng: Guangzhou Customs Technology Center
Xiao-Ming Cui: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Jie Li: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Guang-Qian Pei: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Xin Qiang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
William Yiu-Man Cheung: The University of Hong Kong
Lian-Feng Li: Guangxi Medical University
Fang-Fang Sun: Guangzhou Customs Technology Center
Si Qin: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Ji-Cheng Huang: Guangzhou Customs Technology Center
Gabriel M. Leung: The University of Hong Kong
Edward C. Holmes: The University of Sydney
Yan-Ling Hu: Guangxi Medical University
Yi Guan: Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University
Wu-Chun Cao: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology

Nature, 2020, vol. 583, issue 7815, 282-285

Abstract: Abstract The ongoing outbreak of viral pneumonia in China and across the world is associated with a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-21. This outbreak has been tentatively associated with a seafood market in Wuhan, China, where the sale of wild animals may be the source of zoonotic infection2. Although bats are probable reservoir hosts for SARS-CoV-2, the identity of any intermediate host that may have facilitated transfer to humans is unknown. Here we report the identification of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins (Manis javanica) seized in anti-smuggling operations in southern China. Metagenomic sequencing identified pangolin-associated coronaviruses that belong to two sub-lineages of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses, including one that exhibits strong similarity in the receptor-binding domain to SARS-CoV-2. The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to SARS-CoV-2 suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible hosts in the emergence of new coronaviruses and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic transmission.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2169-0

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