Genome Sequences of Six SARS-CoV-2 Strains Isolated in Morocco, Obtained Using Oxford Nanopore MinION Technology

Meriem Laamarti; M W Chemao-Elfihri; Souad Kartti; Rokia Laamarti; Loubna Allam; Mouna Ouadghiri; Imane Smyej; Jalila Rahoui; Houda Benrahma; Idrissa Diawara; Tarek Alouane; Abdelomunim Essabbar; Samir Siah; Mohammed Karra; Naima El Hafidi; Rachid El Jaoudi; Laila Sbabou; Chakib Nejjari; Saaid Amzazi; Rachid Mentag; Lahcen Belyamani; Azeddine Ibrahimi

doi:10.1128/MRA.00767-20

Genome Sequences of Six SARS-CoV-2 Strains Isolated in Morocco, Obtained Using Oxford Nanopore MinION Technology

Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020 Aug 6;9(32):e00767-20. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00767-20.

Authors

Meriem Laamarti¹, M W Chemao-Elfihri¹, Souad Kartti¹, Rokia Laamarti², Loubna Allam¹, Mouna Ouadghiri¹, Imane Smyej³, Jalila Rahoui³, Houda Benrahma³, Idrissa Diawara³, Tarek Alouane¹, Abdelomunim Essabbar¹, Samir Siah⁴, Mohammed Karra¹, Naima El Hafidi¹, Rachid El Jaoudi¹, Laila Sbabou⁵, Chakib Nejjari⁶, Saaid Amzazi⁷, Rachid Mentag⁸, Lahcen Belyamani⁹, Azeddine Ibrahimi¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Medical Biotechnology Laboratory (MedBiotech), Bioinova Research Center, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
² Medical Biotechnology Center, Moroccan Foundation for Science, Innovation & Research (MAScIR), Rabat, Morocco.
³ National Reference Laboratory, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco.
⁴ Department of Burns, Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital/Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
⁵ Research Center of Plants and Microbial Biotechnologies, Biodiversity and Environment, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Team, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
⁶ International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco.
⁷ Laboratory of Human Pathologies Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
⁸ Biotechnology Unit, Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Rabat, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Rabat, Morocco.
⁹ Emergency Department, Military Hospital Mohammed V, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
¹⁰ Medical Biotechnology Laboratory (MedBiotech), Bioinova Research Center, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco a.ibrahimi@um5s.net.ma.

Abstract

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of six severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains. SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, which started at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China. The isolates were obtained from nasopharyngeal swabs from Moroccan patients with COVID-19. Mutation analysis revealed the presence of the spike D614G mutation in all six genomes, which is widely present in several genomes around the world.