SARS-CoV2 spike protein gene variants with N501T and G142D mutation-dominated infections in mink in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Large numbers of mink have been infected with SARS-CoV2 containing the spike protein Y453F mutation in Europe, causing zoonosis concerns. To evaluate the genetic characteristics of the U.S. and Canadian mink-derived SARS-CoV2 sequences, we analyzed all animal-derived (977) and all Canadian (19,529) and U.S. (173,277) SARS-CoV2 sequences deposited in GISAID from December 2019 to March 12, 2021, and identified 2 dominant novel variants, the N501T-G142D variant and N501T-G142D-F486L variant, in the U.S. mink-derived SARS-CoV2 sequences. These variants were not found in mink from Canada or other countries. The Y453F mutation was not identified in the mink-derived sequences in the United States and Canada. The N501T mutation occurred 2 mo earlier in humans than in mink in the United States, and

SUBMITTER: Cai HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8366104 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature