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SARS-CoV-2 evolution in animals suggests mechanisms for rapid variant selection
Laura Bashor1, Roderick B Gagne2, Angela Bosco-Lauth3
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University; Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|March 24, 2021
Summary
SARS-CoV-2 variants quickly emerge in animals after human spillback. These animal-derived variants, including concerning spike mutations, highlight viral adaptation and potential risks.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Zoonotic Diseases
Background:
- Human-to-animal SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) spillback is a documented phenomenon.
- Understanding viral evolution in animal hosts is critical for managing zoonotic disease risks.
Approach:
- Compared cell culture-expanded SARS-CoV-2 inoculum with viruses recovered from dogs, cats, and hamsters post-exposure.
- Analyzed genetic changes in viral RNA, focusing on nonsynonymous mutations in key genes (nsp12, S, N, M).
- Identified emergent variants and their locations, including significant spike protein positions.
Key Points:
- Inoculum-adapted SARS-CoV-2 variants reverted to wild-type sequences in dogs, cats, and hamsters within days.
- Fourteen novel SARS-CoV-2 variants emerged in animals, featuring substitutions at spike positions H69, N501, and D614.
- These positions are also variable in human SARS-CoV-2 lineages of concern.
Conclusions:
- Rapid in vitro and in vivo selection of SARS-CoV-2 variants demonstrates functional significance of specific residues during host-switching.
- Animal spillback reservoirs can accelerate viral evolution.
- SARS-CoV-2 exhibits significant plasticity in adaptation within animal models.
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