title: Complete genome sequence of bat coronavirus HKU2 from Chinese horseshoe bats revealed a much smaller spike gene with a different evolutionary lineage from the rest of the genome.
abstract: Apart from bat-SARS-CoV, we have identified a novel group 1 coronavirus, bat-CoV HKU2, in Rhinolophus sinicus (Chinese horseshoe bats). Since it has been suggested that the receptor-binding motif (RBM) of SARS-CoV may have been acquired from a group 1 coronavirus, we conducted a surveillance study and identified bat-SARS-CoV and bat-CoV HKU2 in 8.7% and 7.5% respectively of R. sinicus in Hong Kong and Guangdong. Complete genome sequencing of four strains of bat-CoV HKU2 revealed the smallest coronavirus genome (27164 nucleotides) and a unique spike protein evolutionarily distinct from the rest of the genome. This spike protein, sharing similar deletions with other group 2 coronaviruses in its C-terminus, also contained a 15-amino acid peptide homologous to a corresponding peptide within the RBM of spike protein of SARS-CoV, which was absent in other coronaviruses except bat-SARS-CoV. These suggest a common evolutionary origin in the spike protein of bat-CoV HKU2, bat-SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Kenneth S M
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Carol S F
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Rongtong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Kwok-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Bo-Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D003332:Coronaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006723:Hong Kong; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins