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. 2021 Apr 14;8(6):ofab189. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab189

Table 3.

MSA Log Likelihood N for SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2

Amino Acids Nucleotides
Fraction Matching (0–1) MSA Log Likelihood Fraction Matching (0–1) MSA Log Likelihood
SARS N 1 0 1 0
MERS N 0.448 –3.079 0.510.448 –2.651
SARS-CoV-2 N 0.891 0.530 0.8701 0.687

Multiple sequence alignment performed with the N for coronaviruses SARS, MERS, and SARS-2 indicates a high similarity between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 (89% matching residues). MERS, however, partially mirrors SARS-CoV-2 with only 44% aligning residues. Conservation results indicate the potential for a SARS homologue.

Abbreviations: MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome; N, nucleocapsid; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.