Longitudinal analysis of the viral evolution and neutralization assays of the pathogenic coronaviruses in VERO cells.

The coronavirus family encompasses three pathogenic coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV), which have the capability of infecting humans causing cytokine storms, acute respiratory distress syndrome, permanent lung damage, and persistent infection can be fatal. The pathogenic coronaviruses have pandemic potential with the epidemic of SARS-CoV-1 in 2002 and MERS-CoV in 2014. In addition, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 260 million people, and caused more than 5 million deaths, as of late November 2021. Besides, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the capacity of coronaviruses as highly transmissible pathogens leading to severe strains on the health care system and impact on global socio-economic activities. The appearance of multiple variants over the past months gaining resistance against the immune response of vaccinated individuals has highlighted the rapidity of the evolution of coronaviruses. Therefore, to study the viral evolution of these pathogens, we produced a longitudinal study of infecting VERO cells with SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV during 8-months and harvested the supernatant and cell isolates for whole-genome sequencing. The sequencing results at different time points will demonstrate the mutations gained during the passaging of the viruses from humans to non-human primate cell lines indicating variable regions in the genome allowing adaptability. Also, the sequencing of cell isolates and supernatant will allow us to compare the genetic variant found inside the cells versus viruses that are transmitted. Thus, our analyses could confer a better understanding of the viral quasispecies, genetic evolution, and zoonotic transmission of the pathogenic coronaviruses.