MGH FLARE - May 12 - Cats and bats and pangolins: the origin of SARS-CoV-2
▻https://us19.campaign-archive.com/?u=ef98149bee3f299584374540a&id=42a85eb58a
SARS-CoV-2 is similar to bat #coronavirus RaTG13, with ~96% sequence homology. Based upon similarities in the spike protein and RBD as well as epidemiological circumstantial evidence, the Malayan #pangolin likely represents the critical intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2 prior to widespread human infection. It is yet unclear whether evolution of the RBD and S-protein occurred either through recombination or convergent evolution, but all evidence points to a natural rather than man-made origin. The rumor that #SARS-CoV-2 was created in the lab is just a rumor.