February 10, 2020

Protein structure and sequence re-analysis of 2019-nCoV genome does not indicate snakes as its intermediate host or the unique similarity between its spike protein insertions and HIV-I

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Virology

• Researchers re-analyzed data reported in two prior papers that suggested snakes are an intermediary host for 2019-nCov. Their results do not support this conclusion, pointing instead to mammals and birds as more likely intermediary hosts. Findings also indicated that the previously reported “unlikely” similarity between a 2019-nCoV spike protein insertion and that of HIV-I was actually the result of natural evolution from bat coronaviruses.

Zhang et al. (Feb 8, 2020). Protein structure and sequence re-analysis of 2019-nCoV genome does not indicate snakes as its intermediate host or the unique similarity between its spike protein insertions and HIV-I. Pre Print downloaded Feb 10 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.04.933135