Okechukwu Onianwa

Shared Common Ancestry of Rodent Alphacoronaviruses Sampled Globally

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 30-01-2019

DOI: 10.3390/V11020125

Abstract: The recent discovery of novel alphacoronaviruses (alpha-CoVs) in European and Asian rodents revealed that rodent coronaviruses (CoVs) s led worldwide formed a discrete phylogenetic group within this genus. To determine the evolutionary history of rodent CoVs in more detail, particularly the relative frequencies of virus-host co- ergence and cross-species transmission, we recovered longer fragments of CoV genomes from previously discovered European rodent alpha-CoVs using a combination of PCR and high-throughput sequencing. Accordingly, the full genome sequence was retrieved from the UK rat coronavirus, along with partial genome sequences from the UK field vole and Poland-resident bank vole CoVs, and a short conserved ORF1b fragment from the French rabbit CoV. Genome and phylogenetic analysis showed that despite their erse geographic origins, all rodent alpha-CoVs formed a single monophyletic group and shared similar features, such as the same gene constellations, a recombinant beta-CoV spike gene, and similar core transcriptional regulatory sequences (TRS). These data suggest that all rodent alpha CoVs s led so far originate from a single common ancestor, and that there has likely been a long-term association between alpha CoVs and rodents. Despite this likely antiquity, the phylogenetic pattern of the alpha-CoVs was also suggestive of relatively frequent host-jumping among the different rodent species.

University Of Port Harcourt

Location: Nigeria

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University Of Nottingham

Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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Public Health England

Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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Public Health England Porton

Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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