The Recombination Potential between SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV from Cross-Species Spill-over Infections

Authors

Abdulrahim A. Sajini^{1, 2, *,} , Almohanad A. Alkayyal², Fathi A. Mubaraki^{3, 4}

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

²Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, P.O. Box 71491, Saudi Arabia

³College of Computer and Information Technology, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, P.O. Box 71491, Saudi Arabia

⁴Department of Computer Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

^*Corresponding author. Email: abdulrahim.sajini@ku.ac.ae

DOI

10.2991/jegh.k.201105.001How to use a DOI?

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2; MERS-CoV; COVID-19; humans; dromedary camels; recombination

Abstract

Countries in the Middle-East (ME) are tackling two corona virus outbreaks simultaneously, Middle-Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and the current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Both viruses infect the same host (humans) and the same cell (type-II alveolar cells) causing lower respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia. Molecularly, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 enter alveolar cells via spike proteins recognizing dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and angiotensin converting enzyme-II, respectively. Intracellularly, both viruses hide in organelles to generate negative RNA strands and initiate replication using very similar mechanisms. At the transcription level, both viruses utilise identical Transcription Regulatory Sequences (TRSs), which are known recombination cross-over points during replication, to transcribe genes. Using whole genome alignments of both viruses, we identify clusters of high sequence homology at ORF1a and ORF1b. Given the high recombination rates detected in SARS-CoV-2, we speculate that in co-infections recombination is feasible via TRS and/or clusters of homologies. Accordingly, here we recommend mitigation measure and testing for both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 in ME countries.

Copyright

© 2020 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press International B.V.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Abdulrahim A. Sajini
AU  - Almohanad A. Alkayyal
AU  - Fathi A. Mubaraki
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/11/23
TI  - The Recombination Potential between SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV from Cross-Species Spill-over Infections
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 155
EP  - 159
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.201105.001
DO  - 10.2991/jegh.k.201105.001
ID  - Sajini2020
ER  -