Diversity of dromedary camel coronavirus HKU23 in African camels revealed multiple recombination events among closely related betacoronaviruses of the Subgenus embecovirus
2019
So, Ray T. Y. | Chu, Daniel K. W. | Miguel, Eve | Perera, Ranawaka A. P. M. | Oladipo, Jamiu O. | Fassi-Fihri, Ouafaa | Aylet, Gelagay | Ko, Ronald L. W. | Zhou, Ziqi | Cheng, Mo-Sheung | Kuranga, Sulyman A. | Roger, Francois L. | Chevalier, Véronique | Webby, Richard J. | Woo, Patrick C. Y. | Poon, Leo L. M. | Peiris, Malik | The University of Hong Kong (HKU) | Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle (MIVEGEC) ; Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie]) | University of Ilorin [Ilorin, Nigeria] | Université Hassan II de Casablanca = University of Hassan II Casablanca = جامعة الحسن الثاني (ar) (UH2C) | Kasetsart University [Bangkok, Thailand] (KU) | Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad) | Institut Pasteur du Cambodge ; Pasteur Network (Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur) | St Jude Children's Research Hospital [Memphis, USA] | NIHUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA [HHSN272201400006C]; Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Theme-based Research Scheme, University Grant Committee, Hong Kong [T11/707/15]
International audience
Show more [+] Less [-]English. Genetic recombination has frequently been observed in coronaviruses. Here, we sequenced multiple complete genomes of dromedary camel coronavirus HKU23 (DcCoV-HKU23) from Nigeria, Morocco, and Ethiopia and identified several genomic positions indicative of cross-species virus recombination events among other betacoronaviruses of the subgenus Embecovirus (Glade A beta-CoVs). Recombinant fragments of a rabbit coronavirus (RbCoV-HKU14) were identified at the hemagglutinin esterase gene position. Homolog fragments of a rodent CoV were also observed at 8.9-kDa open reading frame 4a at the 3' end of the spike gene. The patterns of recombination differed geographically across the African region, highlighting a mosaic structure of DcCoV-HKU23 genomes circulating in dromedaries. Our results highlighted active recombination of coronaviruses circulating in dromedaries and are also relevant to the emergence and evolution of other betacoronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). IMPORTANCE Genetic recombination is often demonstrated in coronaviruses and can result in host range expansion or alteration in tissue tropism. Here, we showed interspecies events of recombination of an endemic dromedary camel coronavirus, HKU23, with other Glade A betacoronaviruses. Our results supported the possibility that the zoonotic pathogen MERS-CoV, which also cocirculates in the same camel species, may have undergone similar recombination events facilitating its emergence or may do so in its future evolution.
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