Direct sequencing of SARS-coronavirus S and N genes from clinical specimens shows limited variation.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged, in November 2002, as a novel agent causing severe respiratory illness. To study sequence variation in the SARS-CoV genome, we determined the nucleic acid sequence of the S and N genes directly from clinical specimens from 10 patients--1 specimen with no matched SARS-CoV isolate, from 2 patients; multiple specimens from 3 patients; and matched clinical-specimen/cell-culture-isolate pairs from 6 patients. We identified 3 nucleotide substitutions that were most likely due to natural variation and 2 substitutions that arose after cell-culture passage of the virus. These data demonstrate the overall stability of the S and N genes of SARS-CoV over 3 months during which a minimum of 4 generations for transmission events occurred. These findings are a part of the expanding investigation of the evolution of how this virus adapts to a new host.
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-G17, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. sot1@cdc.gov
Suxiang
S
Tong
Jairam R
JR
Lingappa
Qi
Q
Chen
Bo
B
Shu
Ashley C
AC
LaMonte
Byron T
BT
Cook
Charryse
C
Birge
Shur-wern Wang
SW
Chern
Xin
X
Liu
Renee
R
Galloway
Le Quynh
le Q
Mai
Wai Fu
WF
Ng
Jyh-Yuan
JY
Yang
Jagdish
J
Butany
James A
JA
Comer
Stephan S
SS
Monroe
Suzanne R
SR
Beard
Thomas G
TG
Ksiazek
Dean
D
Erdman
Paul A
PA
Rota
Mark A
MA
Pallansch
Larry J
LJ
Anderson
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D000086462:Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000086462:Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV