Investigations into the origin of SARS-CoV-2: an update

Mitra, Anirban

Since January 2020, scientists have been using both experimental and bioinformatic approaches to study the key molecular features of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. These studies have established that the genome of this virus is overall similar to that of viruses found in bats. However, there are genomic stretches which show strong similarity with viruses identified from other animals. The rapid developments of this subject have provided insights into how this novel virus has evolved from a number of progenitors and gained attributes that have made it a formidable pathogen. This review presents the salient features of these peer-reviewed findings and how the scientific evidence contradicts the 'conspiracy theories' floating around. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Current Science (00113891) is the property of Indian Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)