Why are bats often linked to the incubation of coronaviruses such as those behind COVID-19, SARS and other highly contagious respiratory diseases?
A new study from Tulane University suggests that the link between bats and coronaviruses is likely due to a long shared history, and that their genetic information may help us prevent and manage future pandemics.
Hannah Frank, PhD, a bat expert at Tulane University’s School of Science and Engineering, led the effort in collaboration with David Enard (University of Arizona) and Scott Boyd (Stanford University).
We found that bats have been under unusual pressure from coronaviruses compared to other mammals, supporting the idea that bats are rich sources of coronaviruses and may provide information for future prevention or treatment.”
Hannah Frank, Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University
Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the Royal Society’s flagship biological research journal, the study was funded by two National Science Foundation grants aimed at better understanding bat immunity and evolution in response to pathogens, especially in the wake of COVID-19.
“Pandemics of animal origin highlight the need to understand how natural hosts have evolved in response to emerging human pathogens and which groups may be susceptible to infection and/or potential reservoirs to mitigate public health and conservation concerns said Frank.
In the largest bat and mammal data set to date, the team investigated an enzyme called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2, the host protein that serves as a receptor for the viruses that cause COVID-19 and SARS. They also studied dipeptidyl-peptidase 4, DPP4 or CD26, which acts as a receptor for MERS-CoV, the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome.
Both the ACE2 and DPP4 genes are under strong selection pressure in bats, more than in other mammals, and in residues that come into contact with viruses.
“Furthermore, mammalian groups vary in their similarity to humans in residues that contact SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV, and increased similarity to humans in residues from junction is broadly predictive of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2,” said Frank.
The study adds to our understanding of the relationship between coronaviruses and mammals, particularly bats, and provides diverse data for studies of how host proteins are bound by coronaviruses.
“This study gives us greater insight into how mammals, particularly bats, have evolved with coronaviruses,” he said. “It also highlights broad patterns of susceptibility that may prove useful in managing this and future pandemics.”
Source:
Journal reference:
Frank, HK, et al. (2022) Exceptional diversity and selection pressure on coronavirus host receptors in bats compared to other mammals. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0193