The MERS-CoV-shared genes KRT6B and TNFAIP3 had a high p-value associated with SARS-CoV-2, whereas genes such as OAS1-3, IRF9, IRF7, STAT1, PML and IFIH1 were highly associated with host responses to viral infections and type I interferon (S3 Fig). This evidence concerns the gene IRF9 and viral infectious disease.