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Identification of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins in southern China

Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Marcus Ho-Hin Shum, Hua-Chen Zhu, Yi-Gang Tong, Xue-Bing Ni, Yun-Shi Liao, Wei Wei, William Yiu-Man Cheung, Wen-Juan Li, Lian-Feng Li, Gabriel M Leung, Edward C. Holmes, Yan-Ling Hu, Yi Guan
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.13.945485
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
1Joint Institute of Virology (Shantou University / The University of Hong Kong) & Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, P. R. China
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Marcus Ho-Hin Shum
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Hua-Chen Zhu
1Joint Institute of Virology (Shantou University / The University of Hong Kong) & Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, P. R. China
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Yi-Gang Tong
3Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
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Xue-Bing Ni
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Yun-Shi Liao
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Wei Wei
4Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, P. R. China
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William Yiu-Man Cheung
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Wen-Juan Li
3Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
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Lian-Feng Li
4Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, P. R. China
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Gabriel M Leung
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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Edward C. Holmes
5Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Yan-Ling Hu
4Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, P. R. China
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  • For correspondence: yguan@hku.hk huyanling@gxmu.edu.cn
Yi Guan
1Joint Institute of Virology (Shantou University / The University of Hong Kong) & Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, P. R. China
2State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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  • For correspondence: yguan@hku.hk huyanling@gxmu.edu.cn
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Abstract

The ongoing outbreak of viral pneumonia in China and beyond is associated with a novel coronavirus, provisionally termed 2019-nCoV. 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 infection. Although bats are likely reservoir hosts for 2019-nCoV, the identity of any intermediate host facilitating transfer to humans is unknown. Here, we report the identification of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses in pangolins (Manis javanica) seized in anti-smuggling operations in southern China. Metagenomic sequencing identified pangolin associated CoVs that belong to two sub-lineages of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses, including one very closely related to 2019-nCoV in the receptor-binding domain. The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to 2019-nCoV suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible intermediate hosts for this novel human virus and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic transmission.

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Posted February 18, 2020.
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Identification of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins in southern China
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Marcus Ho-Hin Shum, Hua-Chen Zhu, Yi-Gang Tong, Xue-Bing Ni, Yun-Shi Liao, Wei Wei, William Yiu-Man Cheung, Wen-Juan Li, Lian-Feng Li, Gabriel M Leung, Edward C. Holmes, Yan-Ling Hu, Yi Guan
bioRxiv 2020.02.13.945485; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.13.945485
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Identification of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins in southern China
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Marcus Ho-Hin Shum, Hua-Chen Zhu, Yi-Gang Tong, Xue-Bing Ni, Yun-Shi Liao, Wei Wei, William Yiu-Man Cheung, Wen-Juan Li, Lian-Feng Li, Gabriel M Leung, Edward C. Holmes, Yan-Ling Hu, Yi Guan
bioRxiv 2020.02.13.945485; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.13.945485

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