Scientists believe COVID-19 is still highly transmissible between species based on computer simulations of mammalian cross-species infectivity. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) researchers developed computer simulations showing that coronaviruses attached themselves to the host cells using their spike proteins in both bats and humans and published the findings in Royal Society Open Science.
RIT researchers used a computer simulation method called molecular dynamics. This process puts proteins in a solvated simulation, and their movements are observed. Computer simulation is a safe alternative to other more dangerous research methods, such as reinfecting bats with human viral strains.
The researchers observed how the viral spike proteins in several SARS-CoV-2 variants interact with the host cell receptors known as ACE2 in humans and various bats of genus Rhinolophus. The ACE2 receptor allows the virus to enter the cells of the host. This receptor is a protein that lines our organs and regulates functions like blood pressure. Some mammals are more vulnerable than others, and the ACE2 receptor is one factor in transmission between species. Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID transmission between animals and humans has been a significant concern. Some mammal species are more susceptible than others. For example, it is more common among cat and mink families but not as common among canines. This study highlights how ACE2 receptor research can be used to assess risk levels with different species.
Study author Dr. Gregory Babbitt explained that the researchers expected to see greater adaptation but were surprised to observe the binding site did not change much. He stated, “We were hoping to see really cool adaptive evolution happening as the virus got more used to humans and less used to bats, but we actually saw that there wasn’t a whole lot of change. Because this binding site has not evolved very much, there’s not much stopping it from transmitting from humans to bats. If you look at the phylogenetic relationships of bats to humans, we’re pretty far apart on the mammalian tree. So, it suggests that there would be pretty widespread cross-species infectivity, and the literature has shown there’s been a lot of evidence of that.” The study highlights the need for more research to understand cross-species transmission
Sources:Eureka News Alert, Rochester Institute of Technology, Royal Society Open Science
