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Literature detail

Evolutionary Dynamics of MERS-CoV: Potential Recombination, Positive Selection and Transmission.

Zhao Zhang1 Libing Shen1 Xun Gu1,2
Affiliations 2 institutions
  1. State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China.
  2. Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
PMID 27142087 2016 Sci Rep eng epublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) belongs to beta group of coronavirus and was first discovered in 2012. MERS-CoV can infect multiple host species and cause severe diseases in human. We conducted a series of phylogenetic and bioinformatic analyses to study the evolution dynamics of MERS-CoV among different host species with genomic data. Our analyses show: 1) 28 potential recombinant sequences were detected and they can be classified into seven potential recombinant types; 2) The spike (S) protein of MERS-CoV was under strong positive selection when MERS-CoV transmitted from their natural host to human; 3) Six out of nine positive selection sites detected in spike (S) protein are located in its receptor-binding domain which is in direct contact with host cells; 4) MERS-CoV frequently transmitted back and forth between human and camel after it had acquired the human-camel infection capability. Together, these results suggest that potential recombination events might have happened frequently during MERS-CoV's evolutionary history and the positive selection sites in MERS-CoV's S protein might enable it to infect human.

Evolution, Molecular Genetic Variation Recombination, Genetic Selection, Genetic Animals Computational Biology Coronavirus Infections Humans Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Phylogeny

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

7 total
Genomic Evolution 2 records
Genomic Evolution Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Phylogenetic and bioinformatic analyses of MERS-CoV genomes revealed recombinant sequences and positive selection in the spike protein associated with human-camel transmission.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

We conducted a series of phylogenetic and bioinformatic analyses to study the evolution dynamics of MERS-CoV among different host species with genomic data. Our analyses show: 1) 28 potential recombinant sequences were detected and they can be classified into seven potential recombinant types; 2) The spike (S) protein of MERS-CoV was under strong positive selection when MERS-CoV transmitted from their natural host to human; 3) Six out of nine positive selection sites detected in spike (S) protein are located in its receptor-binding domain which is in direct contact with host cells; 4) MERS-CoV frequently transmitted back and forth between human and camel after it had acquired the human-camel infection capability.

Genes or proteins
spike (S) protein; receptor-binding domain
Analysis methods
phylogenetic analysis; bioinformatic analysis
Genomic Evolution Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Genomic analyses identified 28 potential recombinant MERS-CoV sequences grouped into seven recombinant types, indicating frequent recombination events in its evolutionary history.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Host
Not specified
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Our analyses show: 1) 28 potential recombinant sequences were detected and they can be classified into seven potential recombinant types.

Genes or proteins
whole genome
Analysis methods
phylogenetic analysis; bioinformatic analysis; recombination analysis
Spillover Event 2 records
Spillover Event Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

MERS-CoV spilled over from its natural animal host into humans and later underwent repeated bidirectional transmission between humans and camels.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

The spike (S) protein of MERS-CoV was under strong positive selection when MERS-CoV transmitted from their natural host to human; MERS-CoV frequently transmitted back and forth between human and camel after it had acquired the human-camel infection capability.

Method
phylogenetic analysis; bioinformatic analyses
Study design
phylogenetic analysis
Transmission direction
animal-to-human
Spillover Event Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

MERS-CoV exhibited human-to-camel spillback after establishment of human infection.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

MERS-CoV frequently transmitted back and forth between human and camel after it had acquired the human-camel infection capability.

Method
phylogenetic analysis; bioinformatic analyses
Study design
phylogenetic analysis
Transmission direction
human-to-animal
Molecular Adaptation 1 records
Molecular Adaptation Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Positive selection in the MERS-CoV spike (S) protein, particularly within its receptor-binding domain, facilitated adaptation from animal hosts to humans.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Host
Not specified
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

The spike (S) protein of MERS-CoV was under strong positive selection when MERS-CoV transmitted from their natural host to human; six out of nine positive selection sites detected in spike (S) protein are located in its receptor-binding domain which is in direct contact with host cells.

Genes or proteins
spike (S) protein
Mechanism types
receptor_binding; host_adaptation; positive_selection
Receptor Usage 1 records
Receptor Usage Extraction confidence 0.80
Key finding

Positive selection detected in the receptor-binding domain of MERS-CoV spike protein indicates adaptive changes affecting receptor interaction during cross-species transmission between camels and humans.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Six out of nine positive selection sites detected in spike (S) protein are located in its receptor-binding domain which is in direct contact with host cells.

Method
phylogenetic analysis; bioinformatic analysis
Receptors
receptor-binding domain of spike (S) protein
Recombination Or Reassortment 1 records
Recombination Or Reassortment Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Multiple potential recombinant MERS-CoV sequences were detected, suggesting frequent recombination events linked to the virus's evolution and cross-species transmission between humans and camels.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Host
Not specified
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Our analyses show: 1) 28 potential recombinant sequences were detected and they can be classified into seven potential recombinant types ... potential recombination events might have happened frequently during MERS-CoV's evolutionary history.

Event type
recombination