The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review

Edward C. Holmes; Stephen A. Goldstein; Angela L. Rasmussen; David L. Robertson; Alexander Crits-Christoph; Joel O. Wertheim; Simon J. Anthony; Wendy S. Barclay; Maciej F. Boni; Peter C. Doherty; Jeremy Farrar; Jemma L. Geoghegan; Xiaowei Jiang; Julian L. Leibowitz; Stuart J.D. Neil; Tim Skern; Susan R. Weiss; Michael Worobey; Kristian G. Andersen; Robert F. Garry; Andrew Rambaut

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review

Edward C. Holmes^*, Stephen A. Goldstein, Angela L. Rasmussen, David L. Robertson, Alexander Crits-Christoph, Joel O. Wertheim, Simon J. Anthony, Wendy S. Barclay, Maciej F. Boni, Peter C. Doherty, Jeremy Farrar, Jemma L. Geoghegan, Xiaowei Jiang, Julian L. Leibowitz, Stuart J.D. Neil, Tim Skern, Susan R. Weiss, Michael Worobey, Kristian G. Andersen, Robert F. GarryAndrew Rambaut

^*Corresponding author for this work

Infectious Diseases

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

336 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Since the first reports of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, there has been intense interest in understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the human population. Recent debate has coalesced around two competing ideas: a “laboratory escape” scenario and zoonotic emergence. Here, we critically review the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4848-4856
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cell
Volume	184
Issue number	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
evolution
origins
SARS-CoV-2
zoonosis

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

Cite this

Holmes, E. C., Goldstein, S. A., Rasmussen, A. L., Robertson, D. L., Crits-Christoph, A., Wertheim, J. O., Anthony, S. J., Barclay, W. S., Boni, M. F., Doherty, P. C., Farrar, J., Geoghegan, J. L., Jiang, X., Leibowitz, J. L., Neil, S. J. D., Skern, T., Weiss, S. R., Worobey, M., Andersen, K. G., ... Rambaut, A. (2021). The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review. Cell, 184(19), 4848-4856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

@article{7e1b4640f6cb4d4eb275d130961df00f,

title = "The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review",

abstract = "Since the first reports of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, there has been intense interest in understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the human population. Recent debate has coalesced around two competing ideas: a “laboratory escape” scenario and zoonotic emergence. Here, we critically review the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2.",

keywords = "COVID-19, evolution, origins, SARS-CoV-2, zoonosis",

author = "Holmes, {Edward C.} and Goldstein, {Stephen A.} and Rasmussen, {Angela L.} and Robertson, {David L.} and Alexander Crits-Christoph and Wertheim, {Joel O.} and Anthony, {Simon J.} and Barclay, {Wendy S.} and Boni, {Maciej F.} and Doherty, {Peter C.} and Jeremy Farrar and Geoghegan, {Jemma L.} and Xiaowei Jiang and Leibowitz, {Julian L.} and Neil, {Stuart J.D.} and Tim Skern and Weiss, {Susan R.} and Michael Worobey and Andersen, {Kristian G.} and Garry, {Robert F.} and Andrew Rambaut",

note = "Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the authors and the laboratories responsible for the genome sequence data shared via the GISAID Initiative, and we provide a complete acknowledgment table for the data used in Data S1 . E.C.H. is supported by an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship ( FL170100022 ). S.A.G. is supported by the NIH ( F32AI152341 ). J.O.W. acknowledges support from the NIH ( AI135992 ). A.L.R. acknowledges that VIDO receives operational funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation-Major Science Initiatives Fund and from the Government of Saskatchewan through Innovation Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Agriculture. D.L.R. acknowledges support of the Medical Research Council ( MC_UU_12014/12 ) and the Wellcome Trust ( 220977/Z/20/Z ). S.J.A. acknowledges funding from the NIH ( R01AI149693 ). W.B. receives support from the Wellcome Trust ( Z/205100 and Z/200187 ), BBSRC (BB/S008292), and MRC ( MR/W005611/1 ). M.F.B. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( INV-005517 ). J.L.G. is supported by a New Zealand Royal Society Rutherford Discovery Fellowship ( RDF-20-UOO-007 ). J.L.L. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI141607 and R21AI139738 ) and the NSF ( 2029949 ). S.J.N. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship ( WT098049AIA ), the MRC , and the Huo Family Charitable Foundation 2 . T.S. was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) ( P 28183 ). S.R.W. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI140442 , R01AI104887 , R21AI138564 , and R21AI157147 ), as well as the Penn Center for Research on Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Pathogens . M.W. is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( INV004212 ) and the Arizona Board of Regents . K.G.A. acknowledges support from the NIH ( U19AI135995 , U01AI151812 , and UL1TR002550 ). R.F.G. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI132223 , R01AI132244 , U19AI135995 , U54HG007480 , U19AI142790 , and U01AI151812 ), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations ( INTU1901 and ESEP1904 ), and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership ( RIA2019LV-3053 ). A.R. acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust (Collaborators Award 206298/Z/17/Z -ARTIC network) and the European Research Council ( 725422 -ReservoirDOCS). Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the authors and the laboratories responsible for the genome sequence data shared via the GISAID Initiative, and we provide a complete acknowledgment table for the data used in Data S1. E.C.H. is supported by an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship (FL170100022). S.A.G. is supported by the NIH (F32AI152341). J.O.W. acknowledges support from the NIH (AI135992). A.L.R. acknowledges that VIDO receives operational funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation-Major Science Initiatives Fund and from the Government of Saskatchewan through Innovation Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Agriculture. D.L.R. acknowledges support of the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12014/12) and the Wellcome Trust (220977/Z/20/Z). S.J.A. acknowledges funding from the NIH (R01AI149693). W.B. receives support from the Wellcome Trust (Z/205100 and Z/200187), BBSRC (BB/S008292), and MRC (MR/W005611/1). M.F.B. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-005517). J.L.G. is supported by a New Zealand Royal Society Rutherford Discovery Fellowship (RDF-20-UOO-007). J.L.L. is supported by the NIH (R01AI141607 and R21AI139738) and the NSF (2029949). S.J.N. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship (WT098049AIA), the MRC, and the Huo Family Charitable Foundation 2. T.S. was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) (P 28183). S.R.W. is supported by the NIH (R01AI140442, R01AI104887, R21AI138564, and R21AI157147), as well as the Penn Center for Research on Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Pathogens. M.W. is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV004212) and the Arizona Board of Regents. K.G.A. acknowledges support from the NIH (U19AI135995, U01AI151812, and UL1TR002550). R.F.G. is supported by the NIH (R01AI132223, R01AI132244, U19AI135995, U54HG007480, U19AI142790, and U01AI151812), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (INTU1901 and ESEP1904), and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (RIA2019LV-3053). A.R. acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust (Collaborators Award 206298/Z/17/Z-ARTIC network) and the European Research Council (725422-ReservoirDOCS). E.C.H. is an honorary visiting professor at Fudan University (Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center), Shanghai, China and, from 2014?2020, was a guest professor at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China. These affiliations are only used in papers co-authored with Prof. Yong-Zhen Zhang (Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center) and involve no formal appointment, no duties, and no remuneration nor research funding. J.O.W. receives funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ongoing) via grants and contracts to his institution unrelated to this research. S.R.W. consults for Immunome and Ocugen. A.R. A.L.R. M.F.B. S.A.G. and K.G.A. have received consulting fees and compensation for expert testimony on SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic. R.F.G. is co-founder of Zalgen Labs. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s) Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017",

language = "English",

volume = "184",

pages = "4848--4856",

journal = "Cell",

issn = "0092-8674",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "19",

}

Holmes, EC, Goldstein, SA, Rasmussen, AL, Robertson, DL, Crits-Christoph, A, Wertheim, JO, Anthony, SJ, Barclay, WS, Boni, MF, Doherty, PC, Farrar, J, Geoghegan, JL, Jiang, X, Leibowitz, JL, Neil, SJD, Skern, T, Weiss, SR, Worobey, M, Andersen, KG, Garry, RF & Rambaut, A 2021, 'The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review', Cell, vol. 184, no. 19, pp. 4848-4856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

TY - JOUR

T1 - The origins of SARS-CoV-2

T2 - A critical review

AU - Holmes, Edward C.

AU - Goldstein, Stephen A.

AU - Rasmussen, Angela L.

AU - Robertson, David L.

AU - Crits-Christoph, Alexander

AU - Wertheim, Joel O.

AU - Anthony, Simon J.

AU - Barclay, Wendy S.

AU - Boni, Maciej F.

AU - Doherty, Peter C.

AU - Farrar, Jeremy

AU - Geoghegan, Jemma L.

AU - Jiang, Xiaowei

AU - Leibowitz, Julian L.

AU - Neil, Stuart J.D.

AU - Skern, Tim

AU - Weiss, Susan R.

AU - Worobey, Michael

AU - Andersen, Kristian G.

AU - Garry, Robert F.

AU - Rambaut, Andrew

N1 - Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the authors and the laboratories responsible for the genome sequence data shared via the GISAID Initiative, and we provide a complete acknowledgment table for the data used in Data S1 . E.C.H. is supported by an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship ( FL170100022 ). S.A.G. is supported by the NIH ( F32AI152341 ). J.O.W. acknowledges support from the NIH ( AI135992 ). A.L.R. acknowledges that VIDO receives operational funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation-Major Science Initiatives Fund and from the Government of Saskatchewan through Innovation Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Agriculture. D.L.R. acknowledges support of the Medical Research Council ( MC_UU_12014/12 ) and the Wellcome Trust ( 220977/Z/20/Z ). S.J.A. acknowledges funding from the NIH ( R01AI149693 ). W.B. receives support from the Wellcome Trust ( Z/205100 and Z/200187 ), BBSRC (BB/S008292), and MRC ( MR/W005611/1 ). M.F.B. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( INV-005517 ). J.L.G. is supported by a New Zealand Royal Society Rutherford Discovery Fellowship ( RDF-20-UOO-007 ). J.L.L. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI141607 and R21AI139738 ) and the NSF ( 2029949 ). S.J.N. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship ( WT098049AIA ), the MRC , and the Huo Family Charitable Foundation 2 . T.S. was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) ( P 28183 ). S.R.W. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI140442 , R01AI104887 , R21AI138564 , and R21AI157147 ), as well as the Penn Center for Research on Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Pathogens . M.W. is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( INV004212 ) and the Arizona Board of Regents . K.G.A. acknowledges support from the NIH ( U19AI135995 , U01AI151812 , and UL1TR002550 ). R.F.G. is supported by the NIH ( R01AI132223 , R01AI132244 , U19AI135995 , U54HG007480 , U19AI142790 , and U01AI151812 ), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations ( INTU1901 and ESEP1904 ), and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership ( RIA2019LV-3053 ). A.R. acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust (Collaborators Award 206298/Z/17/Z -ARTIC network) and the European Research Council ( 725422 -ReservoirDOCS). Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the authors and the laboratories responsible for the genome sequence data shared via the GISAID Initiative, and we provide a complete acknowledgment table for the data used in Data S1. E.C.H. is supported by an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship (FL170100022). S.A.G. is supported by the NIH (F32AI152341). J.O.W. acknowledges support from the NIH (AI135992). A.L.R. acknowledges that VIDO receives operational funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation-Major Science Initiatives Fund and from the Government of Saskatchewan through Innovation Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Agriculture. D.L.R. acknowledges support of the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12014/12) and the Wellcome Trust (220977/Z/20/Z). S.J.A. acknowledges funding from the NIH (R01AI149693). W.B. receives support from the Wellcome Trust (Z/205100 and Z/200187), BBSRC (BB/S008292), and MRC (MR/W005611/1). M.F.B. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-005517). J.L.G. is supported by a New Zealand Royal Society Rutherford Discovery Fellowship (RDF-20-UOO-007). J.L.L. is supported by the NIH (R01AI141607 and R21AI139738) and the NSF (2029949). S.J.N. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship (WT098049AIA), the MRC, and the Huo Family Charitable Foundation 2. T.S. was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) (P 28183). S.R.W. is supported by the NIH (R01AI140442, R01AI104887, R21AI138564, and R21AI157147), as well as the Penn Center for Research on Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Pathogens. M.W. is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV004212) and the Arizona Board of Regents. K.G.A. acknowledges support from the NIH (U19AI135995, U01AI151812, and UL1TR002550). R.F.G. is supported by the NIH (R01AI132223, R01AI132244, U19AI135995, U54HG007480, U19AI142790, and U01AI151812), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (INTU1901 and ESEP1904), and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (RIA2019LV-3053). A.R. acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust (Collaborators Award 206298/Z/17/Z-ARTIC network) and the European Research Council (725422-ReservoirDOCS). E.C.H. is an honorary visiting professor at Fudan University (Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center), Shanghai, China and, from 2014?2020, was a guest professor at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China. These affiliations are only used in papers co-authored with Prof. Yong-Zhen Zhang (Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center) and involve no formal appointment, no duties, and no remuneration nor research funding. J.O.W. receives funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ongoing) via grants and contracts to his institution unrelated to this research. S.R.W. consults for Immunome and Ocugen. A.R. A.L.R. M.F.B. S.A.G. and K.G.A. have received consulting fees and compensation for expert testimony on SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic. R.F.G. is co-founder of Zalgen Labs. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s) Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/9/16

Y1 - 2021/9/16

N2 - Since the first reports of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, there has been intense interest in understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the human population. Recent debate has coalesced around two competing ideas: a “laboratory escape” scenario and zoonotic emergence. Here, we critically review the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2.

AB - Since the first reports of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, there has been intense interest in understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the human population. Recent debate has coalesced around two competing ideas: a “laboratory escape” scenario and zoonotic emergence. Here, we critically review the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2.

KW - COVID-19

KW - evolution

KW - origins

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - zoonosis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113721848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

DO - 10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.017

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85113721848

SN - 0092-8674

VL - 184

SP - 4848

EP - 4856

JO - Cell

JF - Cell

IS - 19

ER -

The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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