What is NeoCoV? | NeoCoV
In a recent preprint, researchers in China explore how coronaviruses that are similar to MERS-CoV interact with different receptors in different host cells. The not yet peer-reviewed work has been deposited in biorxiv, which describes the NeoCoV coronavirus.
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| NeoCoV |
NeoCoV is a bat coronavirus that was first identified in 2011. It was identified in a species of bats known as Neoromicia, which is where the name NeoCoV was derived from. Commonly known as aloe bats, this species is distributed in the Afro-Malagasy region. NeoCoV shares an 85% similarity to MERS-CoV in the genome sequence, making it the closest known relative of MERS-CoV.
Does NeoCoV infect humans and cause high mortality?
It is important to note that inherently, NeoCoV cannot interact with human receptors, implying that in its current form the virus cannot infect humans. NeoCoV does not infect humans yet and has thus not caused any deaths.
What does the preprint say, and why is it important?
The study reports that despite their similarity, MERS-CoV and NeoCoV use different receptors to infect cells. The bat coronavirus NeoCoV was found to use bat ACE2 receptors for efficiently entering cells and the interaction between NeoCoV and bat ACE2 receptors is different from what is seen in other coronaviruses that utilise ACE2. The preprint also reports that although NeoCoV does not have the potential to use human ACE2 receptors and infect humans, specific mutations artificially created in the receptor-binding domain of NeoCoV can enhance its efficiency to interact with human ACE2 receptors. These mutations have not yet been seen in NeoCov isolates from natural settings.
SARS-CoV-2 is not the first coronavirus to infect humans and cause large disease outbreaks, nor is it likely to be the last. The study highlights that through further adaptation, coronaviruses like NeoCoV or other related viruses could potentially gain the ability to infect humans. The interactions between humans and animals continue to increase, given the expanding human population and encroachment of animal habitats. While the likelihood of spillover events are rare, an increased interaction can potentially accelerate such events. To prevent future outbreaks, it will thus be important to monitor this family of viruses for potential zoonosis while continuing research efforts on understanding the complex receptor usage of different coronaviruses. Genomic surveillance of human and animal viruses is therefore the key to understanding the spectrum of viruses, and possibly provide early warning to potential spillover events.
Article by : the hindu
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