RESUMO
To investigate the genetic character and origin of the first imported infection case of middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (named as MERS-CoV_China GD01), RNA was extracted from swabs of this patient followed by RT-PCR amplification. All coding gene of structural (S, E, M, E) and accessory (ORF3, ORF4a, ORF4b, ORF5, ORF8b) proteins were sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses of structural protein coding genes of MERS-CoV_ China GD01 indicates that several substitutes exists in S coding gene and its origin belong group 5 of MERS-CoV, which were recent circulated in Saudi Arabia area, while other three structural genes (N, E, M) were very conserved. Phylogenetic analyses of accessory protein coding genes of MERS-CoV China GD01 indicates that several substitutes exists among ORF3, ORF4a, ORF4b and ORF5, while ORF8b was conserved. In conclusion, genome of MERS-CoV_ China GD01 was general conserved although several genetic variations were found among structural and accessory protein coding genes. This is the first report on sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of the first imported MERS case in China, which may pay the way for prevention and control of imported MERS-CoV infection.
