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Are pangolins the intermediate host of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ?

Ping Liu, Jing-Zhe Jiang, Xiu-Feng Wan, Yan Hua, Xiaohu Wang, Fanghui Hou, Jing Chen, Jiejian Zou, Jinping Chen
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.954628
Ping Liu
1Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510260, China
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Jing-Zhe Jiang
2Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510300, China
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Xiu-Feng Wan
3Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211 USA
4Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211 USA
5Missouri University Center for Research on Influenza Systems Biology (CRISB), University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211 USA
6Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211 USA
7MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211 USA
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Yan Hua
8Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510520, China
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Xiaohu Wang
9Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510640, China
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Fanghui Hou
10Guangdong Provincial Wildlife Rescue Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510520, China
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Jing Chen
9Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510640, China
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Jiejian Zou
10Guangdong Provincial Wildlife Rescue Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510520, China
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Jinping Chen
1Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510260, China
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  • For correspondence: chenjp@giabr.gd.cn
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Abstract

The outbreak of 2019-nCoV pneumonia (COVID-19) in the city of Wuhan, China has resulted in more than 70,000 laboratory confirmed cases, and recent studies showed that 2019-nCoV (SARS-CoV-2) could be of bat origin but involve other potential intermediate hosts. In this study, we assembled the genomes of coronaviruses identified in sick pangolins. The molecular and phylogenetic analyses showed that pangolin Coronaviruses (pangolin-CoV) are genetically related to both the 2019-nCoV and bat Coronaviruses but do not support the 2019-nCoV arose directly from the pangolin-CoV. Our study also suggested that pangolin be natural host of Betacoronavirus, with a potential to infect humans. Large surveillance of coronaviruses in pangolins could improve our understanding of the spectrum of coronaviruses in pangolins. Conservation of wildlife and limits of the exposures of humans to wildlife will be important to minimize the spillover risks of coronaviruses from wild animals to humans.

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Posted February 20, 2020.
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Are pangolins the intermediate host of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ?
Ping Liu, Jing-Zhe Jiang, Xiu-Feng Wan, Yan Hua, Xiaohu Wang, Fanghui Hou, Jing Chen, Jiejian Zou, Jinping Chen
bioRxiv 2020.02.18.954628; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.954628
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Are pangolins the intermediate host of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ?
Ping Liu, Jing-Zhe Jiang, Xiu-Feng Wan, Yan Hua, Xiaohu Wang, Fanghui Hou, Jing Chen, Jiejian Zou, Jinping Chen
bioRxiv 2020.02.18.954628; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.954628

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