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Literature detail

MERS-related CoVs in hedgehogs from Hubei Province, China.

Dan Li1 Xiao-Qing Gong2 Xiao Xiao3 Hui-Ju Han1 Hao Yu4 Ze-Min Li1 Li-Na Yan1 Xiao-Lan Gu1 Shu-Hui Duan1 Xue-jieYu1
Affiliations 4 institutions
  1. State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
  2. Double First-class Construction Office, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
  3. Lab Animal Research Center, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
  4. Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555, United States of America.
PMID 34604493 2021 One Health eng ppublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

The emerging coronavirus diseases such as COVID-19, MERS, and SARS indicated that animal coronaviruses (CoVs) spillover to humans are a huge threat to public health. Therefore, we needed to understand the CoVs carried by various animals. Wild hedgehogs were collected from rural areas in Wuhan and Xianning cities in Hubei Province for analysis of CoVs. PCR results showed that 5 out of 51 (9.8%) hedgehogs (<i>Erinaceus amurensis</i>) were positive to CoVs in Hubei Province with 3 samples from Wuhan City and 2 samples from Xianning City. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequence of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase showed that the CoVs from hedgehogs are classified into <i>Merbecovirus</i> of the genus <i>Betacoronavirus</i>; the hedgehog CoVs formed a phylogenetic sister cluster with human MERS-CoVs and bat MERS-related CoVs. Among the 12 most critical residues of receptor binding domain in MERS-CoV for binding human Dipeptidyl peptidase 4, 3 residuals were conserved between the hedgehog MERS-related CoV obtained in this study and the human MERS-CoV. We concluded that hedgehogs from Hubei Province carried MERS-related CoVs, indicating that hedgehogs might be important in the evolution and transmission of MERS-CoVs, and continuous surveillance of CoVs in hedgehogs was important.

Betacoronavirus Coronavirus Hedgehogs Merbecovirus MERS-CoVs

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

3 total
Genomic Evolution 1 records
Genomic Evolution Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Hedgehog MERS-related coronaviruses from Hubei Province clustered phylogenetically with human and bat MERS-CoVs and shared conserved receptor-binding residues, indicating evolutionary relationship among these lineages.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequence of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase showed that the CoVs from hedgehogs are classified into Merbecovirus of the genus Betacoronavirus; the hedgehog CoVs formed a phylogenetic sister cluster with human MERS-CoVs and bat MERS-related CoVs. Among the 12 most critical residues of receptor binding domain in MERS-CoV for binding human Dipeptidyl peptidase 4, 3 residuals were conserved between the hedgehog MERS-related CoV obtained in this study and the human MERS-CoV.

Genes or proteins
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; receptor binding domain
Analysis methods
phylogenetic analysis; sequence comparison
Receptor Usage 1 records
Receptor Usage Extraction confidence 0.70
Key finding

Hedgehog MERS-related coronaviruses share three conserved receptor-binding residues with human MERS-CoV, indicating partial conservation of DPP4-binding determinants.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Among the 12 most critical residues of receptor binding domain in MERS-CoV for binding human Dipeptidyl peptidase 4, 3 residuals were conserved between the hedgehog MERS-related CoV obtained in this study and the human MERS-CoV.

Receptors
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4
Zoonotic Surveillance 1 records
Zoonotic Surveillance Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Surveillance of wild hedgehogs in Hubei Province detected MERS-related coronaviruses by PCR.

Virus
MERS-CoV
Location
China China
Supporting text

Wild hedgehogs were collected from rural areas in Wuhan and Xianning cities in Hubei Province for analysis of CoVs. PCR results showed that 5 out of 51 (9.8%) hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis) were positive to CoVs in Hubei Province with 3 samples from Wuhan City and 2 samples from Xianning City.

Method
PCR; phylogenetic analysis
Geographic raw
Hubei Province, China
Country inferred
China