Digging metagenomic data of pangolins revealed SARS-CoV-2 related viruses and other significant viruses

Pangolin metagenomic data obtained from public databases were used to assemble partial or complete viral genomes showing genetic relationship to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Sendai virus, flavivirus, picornavirus, parvovirus, and genomovirus, respectively. Most of these virus genomes showed genomic recombination signals. Phylogeny based on the SARS-CoV-2-related virus sequences assembled in this study and those recently published indicated that pangolin SARS-CoV-2-related viruses were clustered into two sub-lineages according to geographic sampling sites. These findings suggest the need for further pangolin samples, from different countries, to be collected and analyzed for coronavirus to elucidate whether pangolins are intermittent hosts for SARS-CoV-2.

Automated summary

Analysis of pangolin metagenomic data suggests that pangolins may be intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2, but further sampling and analysis from various countries are needed for confirmation.