title: Coexistence of multiple coronaviruses in several bat colonies in an abandoned mineshaft.
abstract: Since the 2002-2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak prompted a search for the natural reservoir of the SARS coronavirus, numerous alpha- and betacoronaviruses have been discovered in bats around the world. Bats are likely the natural reservoir of alpha- and betacoronaviruses, and due to the rich diversity and global distribution of bats, the number of bat coronaviruses will likely increase. We conducted a surveillance of coronaviruses in bats in an abandoned mineshaft in Mojiang County, Yunnan Province, China, from 2012-2013. Six bat species were frequently detected in the cave: Rhinolophus sinicus, Rhinolophus affinis, Hipposideros pomona, Miniopterus schreibersii, Miniopterus fuliginosus, and Miniopterus fuscus. By sequencing PCR products of the coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene (RdRp), we found a high frequency of infection by a diverse group of coronaviruses in different bat species in the mineshaft. Sequenced partial RdRp fragments had 80%-99% nucleic acid sequence identity with well-characterized Alphacoronavirus species, including BtCoV HKU2, BtCoV HKU8, and BtCoV1, and unassigned species BtCoV HKU7 and BtCoV HKU10. Additionally, the surveillance identified two unclassified betacoronaviruses, one new strain of SARS-like coronavirus, and one potentially new betacoronavirus species. Furthermore, coronavirus co-infection was detected in all six bat species, a phenomenon that fosters recombination and promotes the emergence of novel virus strains. Our findings highlight the importance of bats as natural reservoirs of coronaviruses and the potentially zoonotic source of viral pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali, 671000, China.|School of Public Health, Dali University, Dali, 671000, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali, 671000, China.
authors.forename: Ji-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Chu-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Lou
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Mojiang Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, Mojiang, 654800, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Mojiang Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, Mojiang, 654800, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Xiao
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China. zlshi@wh.iov.cn.
authors.forename: Zheng-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
keywords: bat; coinfection; coronavirus; mineshaft