An open debate on SARS-CoV-2's proximal origin is long overdue
Abstract
There is a near consensus view that SARS-CoV-2 has a natural zoonotic origin; however, several characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 taken together are not easily explained by a natural zoonotic origin hypothesis. These include: a low rate of evolution in the early phase of transmission; the lack of evidence of recombination events; a high pre-existing binding to human ACE2; a novel furin cleavage site insert; a flat glycan binding domain of the spike protein which conflicts with host evasion survival patterns exhibited by other coronaviruses, and high human and mouse peptide mimicry. Initial assumptions against a laboratory origin, by contrast, have remained unsubstantiated. Furthermore, over a year after the initial outbreak in Wuhan, there is still no clear evidence of zoonotic transfer from a bat or intermediate species. Given the immense social and economic impact of this pandemic, identifying the true origin of SARS-CoV-2 is fundamental to preventing future outbreaks. The search for SARS-CoV-2's origin should include an open and unbiased inquiry into a possible laboratory origin.
- Publication:
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arXiv e-prints
- Pub Date:
- February 2021
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.2102.03910
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2102.03910
- Bibcode:
- 2021arXiv210203910S
- Keywords:
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- Quantitative Biology - Populations and Evolution;
- Quantitative Biology - Genomics