New pieces of the puzzle of the genesis of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A critical review

Abstract

Knowledge of the underlying process that leads to the generation of a pandemic strain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is scientifically and politically imperative to identify practices that could generate more devastating pandemics. New evidences are presented here by applying simple descriptive bioinformatics of full genome sequences of human and animal coronaviruses including bat’s and pangolin’s, BLAST search of the possible origin of the 12-nucleotide insertion in the S1/S2 cleavage site, and a map of the presence of accessory proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in those coronaviruses. Together with published wide coverage of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, we reconstruct the probable underlying process of pandemic strain generation. Based on overwhelming data, the trade and farming of animals that harbors SARS-CoV-2-like viruses should be stopped immediately.