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This dissertation, Novel Coronaviruses in Bats of the Genus Miniopterus by Ka-wing, Chu, 朱嘉永, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of thesis entitled Novel Coronaviruses in Bats of the genus Miniopterus Submitted by Chu Ka Wing for the degree of Master of Philosophy at The University of Hong Kong in January 2007 The emergence of SARS highlighted the potential human health risk posed by unidentified viruses in domestic and wild animals. Investigating the diversity of viruses in wild animals is important for providing an understanding of further potential emerging disease threats. Here we report the results of a study of coronaviruses in wild animals in Hong Kong. From 44 different species of animals including mammals, reptiles and bird screened for coronaviruses by RT-PCR using consensus primers, a novel group 1 coronavirus was identified in bats of the genus Miniopterus. This was the first coronavirus identified in bats. Further surveillance in these bats has shown that these coronaviruses can be detected repeatedly and consistently. Between 11-26% of these bats sampled at a single site in different seasons year round carried coronaviruses. Given the long life-span of bats and the lack of obvious disease in infected bats, it is likely that these coronavirus infections are persistent infections. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial RdRp gene sequence of these novel bat coronavirus showed that these viruses can be divided into three lineages of virus, including bat CoV 1, HKU7 and HKU8. The majority of bat coronaviruses identified in Miniopterus bats at this sampling location belonged to lineage bat CoV 1 and viruses of lineage HKU7 and HKU8 were only found occasionally. The lineage bat CoV 1 can be further divided into 2 sublineages, 1A and 1B with sublineage 1A (bat-CoV 1A) detected almost exclusively in M. magnater bats and sublineage 1B (bat-CoV 1B) detected only from M. pusillus bats, even though these bats co-habited the same cave. Employing the long PCR technique, genetic sequences of the novel coronaviruses were amplified and N protein genes of the three virus lineages were compared. Partial genomic structure including all structural protein genes and the 3' end of the genome were compared between bat CoV 1B and HKU8. Co-infection of bat CoV 1B and HKU8 in hosts was shown to occur. The finding of novel group 1 coronavirus in bats of the genus Miniopterus also prompted surveillance for coronavirus in bats of different genera in Hong Kong and Mainland China by different research groups, and led to the discovery of SARS CoV related viruses in Rhinolophus sinicus (Chinese horseshoe bat) by others. Given the detection rates and diversity of coronaviruses detected in bats, it may be suggested that bats are the natural reservoir and ancestors of all mammalian coronaviruses. (Word count: 399) DOI: 10.5353/th_b3852345 Subjects: Coronaviruses - China - Hong KongBats as carriers of diseaseBats - China - Hong Kong

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