Groundbreaking Discovery: Chinese Researchers Reveal Bat Virus Uses Same Pathway as COVID to Invade Human Cells
Chinese researchers have identified a new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, that utilizes the same ACE2 cell-surface protein to enter human cells as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Reported in the journal Cell, this discovery highlights the potential for HKU5-CoV-2 to eventually spread to humans, although current evidence indicates it is less adept at entering human cells than SARS-CoV-2. The virus features a furin cleavage site, enhancing its ability to penetrate cells, and has successfully infected human cells with high ACE2 levels in lab tests on intestinal and airway models.
The study’s findings prompted a reaction in the financial markets, influencing COVID-19 vaccine makers’ shares. Stocks for Pfizer increased by 1.5%, Moderna by 5.3%, and Novavax saw a 1% rise after Bloomberg reported on the study.
Despite the discovery, experts urge caution. Dr. Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota remarked that concerns over a new pandemic are overstated, citing the increased population immunity to similar SARS viruses since 2019. The study itself points out that HKU5-CoV-2 has a lower binding affinity to human ACE2 and other suboptimal characteristics for human adaptation, suggesting the risk of a human outbreak is minimal at this time. Published on February 22, 2025, these findings contribute to ongoing research on potential zoonotic threats without causing undue alarm.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/chinese-researchers-find-bat-virus-enters-human-cells-via-same-pathway-as-covid/article69249248.ece
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Publish Date: 2025-02-22 05:43:00
