Did SARS-CoV-2 Originate From Bats?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

The collective evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 originated from bats. High genetic similarity, widespread geographic distribution, frequent recombination events, and phylogenetic analyses all point to bats as the natural reservoir for SARS-CoV-2. While the exact intermediate host remains unidentified, the evolutionary lineage of SARS-CoV-2 is closely linked to bat coronaviruses.

The origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been a subject of extensive research. Bats have been widely considered as the natural reservoir for many coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. This synthesis aims to analyze the evidence from multiple research papers to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 originated from bats.

Key Insights

• High Genetic Similarity with Bat Coronaviruses:
  • Several studies have identified bat coronaviruses with high genetic similarity to SARS-CoV-2, such as RmYN02 and RpYN06, which share over 90% nucleotide identity with SARS-CoV-21 2 5.
  • RaTG13, another bat coronavirus, has been highlighted as having a high probability of being a close relative to SARS-CoV-23 4 7.
• Geographic Distribution and Diversity:
  • Research indicates that SARS-CoV-2 related coronaviruses are widely distributed across Southeast Asia and southern China, with significant diversity found in bat populations2 3 6 8 9.
  • The presence of these viruses in bats from regions such as Yunnan, China, and even as far as Cambodia, suggests a broad geographic distribution2 9.
• Recombination Events:
  • Studies have shown that bat coronaviruses, including those related to SARS-CoV-2, undergo frequent recombination events, which contribute to their genetic diversity and potential to infect new hosts5 7 8.
• Serological Evidence:
  • Molecular and serological evidence supports the active circulation of SARS-CoV-2 related coronaviruses in bat populations, with neutralizing antibodies detected in bats and other wildlife3.
• Phylogenetic Analysis:
  • Phylogenetic analyses consistently place SARS-CoV-2 within the sarbecovirus subgenus, which includes bat coronaviruses, indicating a common evolutionary lineage6 7 8.

Did SARS-CoV-2 originate from bats?

Ricardo Durães-Carvalho has answered Uncertain

An expert from University of Campinas in Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, Virology

There is still a debate about the likely origin of SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, a recent study published in the Cell journal has shown that Pangolin-CoV has, at the genomic level, 91.02% and 90.55% of similarity to SARS-CoV-2 and BatCoV RaTG13 (a SARS-related CoV), respectively (1). Another one, published in Nature Medicine today (17 March 2020), pointed out that “although the RaTG13 bat virus remains the closest to SARS-CoV-2 across the genome, some Pangolin-CoV exhibit strong similarity to SARS-CoV-2” (2).

Sources:

(1): https://www.cell.com/2019-nCOV — Probable pangolin origin of SARS-CoV-2 associated with the COVID-19 outbreak.

(2): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9.

Did SARS-CoV-2 originate from bats?

Roberta Lecis has answered Uncertain

An expert from University of Sassari in Molecular Biology, Virology, Conservation Science, Genetics, Veterinary Science, Phylogenetics

It is still not known whether SARS-CoV-2 originate from bats. Although its genome appears highly similar and phylogenetically related to those of Bat SARS-like CoVs, as well as to the Pangolin-CoV, and to SARS-CoV, we can’t actually say where this novel BetaCoronavirus belonging to lineage B originates from. Investigating viral sequences from more bats and animals will highlight viral origins, including potential ancestors and intermediate hosts.

Did SARS-CoV-2 originate from bats?

Steven Goodman has answered Uncertain

An expert from Field Museum of Natural History in Zoology

While a range of coronaviruses are known from bats, as well as other mammals, as far as I am aware there is no definitive evidence that Covid-19 had its origins in bats and then transferred to humans.