Variation in predicted COVID-19 risk among lemurs and lorises

Melin, AD; Orkin, JD; Janiak, MC; Valenzuela, A; Kuderna, L; Marrone, F; Ramangason, H; Horvath, JE; Roos, C; Kitchener, AC; Khor, CC; Lim, WK; Lee, JGH; Tan, P; Umapathy, G; Raveendran, M; Alan Harris, R; Gut, I; Gut, M; Lizano, E; Nadler, T; Zinner, D; Le, MD; Manu, S; Rabarivola, CJ; Zaramody, A; Andriaholinirina, N; Johnson, SE; Jarvis, ED; Fedrigo, O; Wu, D; Zhang, G; Farh, KK-H; Rogers, J; Marques-Bonet, T; Navarro, A; Juan, D; Arora, PS; Higham, JP

Abstract

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which in humans leads to the disease COVID-19, has caused global disruption and more than 2 million fatalities since it first emerged in late 2019. As we write, infection rates are at their highest point globally and are rising extremely rapidly in some areas due to more infectious variants. The primary target of SARS-CoV-2 is the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). Recent sequence analyses of the ACE2 gene predict that many nonhuman primates are also likely to be highly susceptible to infection. However, the anticipated risk is not equal across the Order. Furthermore, some taxonomic groups show high ACE2 amino acid conservation, while others exhibit high variability at this locus. As an example of the latter, analyses of strepsirrhine primate ACE2 sequences to date indicate large variation among lemurs and lorises compared to other primate clades despite low sampling effort. Here, we report ACE2 gene and protein sequences for 71 individual strepsirrhines, spanning 51 species and 19 genera. Our study reinforces previous results while finding additional variability in other strepsirrhine species, and suggests several clades of lemurs have high potential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Troublingly, some species, including the rare and endangered aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), as well as those in the genera Avahi and Propithecus, may be at high risk. Given that lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and among the primates at highest risk of extinction globally, further understanding of the potential threat of COVID-19 to their health should be a conservation priority. All feasible actions should be taken to limit their exposure to SARS-CoV-2. [Abstract copyright: © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.]

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 4, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 1, 2021
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 19, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 1, 2022
• Journal: American Journal of Primatology
• Print ISSN: 0275-2565
• Electronic ISSN: 1098-2345
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 83
• Issue: 6
• Pages: e23255
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23255
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23255
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2345
• Additional Information: Additional Information : ** From PubMed via Jisc Publications Router **Journal IDs: eissn 1098-2345 **Article IDs: pubmed: 33792947 **History: accepted 04-03-2021; revised 03-03-2021; submitted 04-02-2021; Access Information : This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Melin, A. D., Orkin, J. D., Janiak, M. C., Valenzuela, A., Kuderna, L., Marrone, F., Ramangason, H., Horvath, J. E., Roos, C., Kitchener, A. C., Khor, C. C., Lim, W. K., Lee, J. G. H., Tan, P., Umapathy, G., Raveendran, M., Alan Harris, R., Gut, I., Gut, M., … Higham, J. P. (2021). Variation in predicted COVID‐19 risk among lemurs and lorises. American Journal of Primatology, e23255, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23255. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.; Funders : CERCA Programme del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya;Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca;Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation - Instituto de Salud Carlos III;Rockefeller University;Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa;Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC Discovery Grant);Generalitat de Catalunya (Departament de Salut, Departament d'Empresa i Coneixement);National Institutes of Health;CERCA;European Research Council (ERC) - European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme;Smart Growth Operating Program (2014-2020);MINECO/FEDER, UE;Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu;Canada Research Chairs Program;European Regional Development Fund;Howard Hughes Medical Institute;Obra Social "La Caixa";Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);Howard Hughes International Early Career; Grant Number: GRC 2017 SGR 880; Grant Number: R35GM130333; Grant Number: BFU2017‐86471‐P (MINECO/FEDER, UE); Grant Number: 864203; Grant Number: CGL2017‐82654‐P; Grant Number: AEI (CEX2018‐000792‐M); Grant Number: MINECO/FEDER, BIO2015‐71792‐P; Grant Number: NERC NE/T000341/1