Cited by 1,179SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchEvolution and Genetic DynamicsAnimal Virus Infections Studies

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2

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Markov, Peter V., Ghafari, Mahan, Beer, Martin, Lythgoe, Katrina, Simmonds, Peter, Stilianakis, Nikolaos I., Katzourakis, Aris·2023·Nature Reviews Microbiology

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused millions of deaths and substantial morbidity worldwide. Intense scientific effort to understand the biology of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in daunting numbers of genomic sequences. We witnessed evolutionary events that could mostly be inferred indirectly before, such as the emergence of variants with distinct phenotypes, for example transmissibility, severity and immune evasion. This Review explores the mechanisms that generate genetic variation in SARS-CoV-2, underlying the within-host and population-level processes that underpin these events. We examine the selective forces that likely drove the evolution of higher transmissibility and, in some cases, higher severity during the first year of the pandemic and the role of antigenic evolution during the second and third years, together with the implications of immune escape and reinfections, and the increasing evidence for and potential relevance of recombination. In order to understand how major lineages, such as variants of concern (VOCs), are generated, we contrast the evidence for the chronic infection model underlying the emergence of VOCs with the possibility of an animal reservoir playing a role in SARS-CoV-2 evolution, and conclude that the former is more likely. We evaluate uncertainties and outline scenarios for the possible future evolutionary trajectories of SARS-CoV-2.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41579-023-00878-2

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  • The higher end of the ranges, with evolutionary rates up to 8 × 10^-3 substitutions per site per year, emphasises the potential for SARS-CoV-1 and similar coronaviruses to evolve rapidly, possibly even quicker than SARS-CoV-2.

    “The higher end of the ranges, with evolutionary rates up to 8 × 10 -3 substitutions per site per year, emphasises the potential for SARS-CoV-1 and similar coronaviruses to evolve rapidly, possibly even quicker than SARS-CoV-2.126”

    From Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) mathematical models and disease parameters: a systematic review (2025) · cites this paper as [126]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) says coronaviruses evolve rapidly, supporting the general point. The Substitution rate section gives an estimate for SARS-CoV-2, but the cited paper does not give a rate of 8 × 10^-3 substitutions per site per year for SARS-CoV-1 or say that it may evolve faster than SARS-CoV-2. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [27]27. Drummond, A. Nicholls, G. K., Rodrigo, A. G. & Solomon, W. in Tools for Constructing Chronologies: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries Vol. 177 (eds Buck, C.E. & Maillard, A.R.) 149-171 (Springer-Verlag, 2004).
  2. [72]72. Sousa, W. P. & Grosholz, E. D. in Habitat Structure Vol. 8 (eds Bell, S. S., McCoy, E. D. & Mushinsky, H. R.) 300-324 (Springer, 1991).

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Authors
Markov, P. V., Ghafari, M., Beer, M., Lythgoe, K., Simmonds, P., Stilianakis, N. I., & Katzourakis, A.
Affiliations
  • University of London (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (DE)
  • Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Markov, Peter V.
  • Katzourakis, Aris
Venue
Nature Reviews Microbiology
Published
2023-04-05
Volume
21
Issue
6
Pages
361-379
ISSN
  • 1740-1526 (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-1534
OpenAlex
W4362609000
Cited by
1,179
References
225
Citations by year
2026: 204 · 2025: 390 · 2024: 441 · 2023: 130 · 2022: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
FWCI
55.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Microbiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
  • OpenAgrar (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (107652/Z/15/Z)
  • H2020 European Research Council (101001623)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, viral evolution, genetic variation, variants of concern, antigenic evolution, immune evasion, reinfection, recombination, chronic infection, reservoir hosts, transmissibility, disease severity, COVID-19 pandemic, evolutionary trajectories
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Animals, Genomics, Immune Evasion, Pandemics

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