NeoCoV, a coronavirus strain related to MERS-CoV found in bats (NeoCoV is not a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the human coronavirus strain responsible for COVID-19 pandemic) has been reported to be the first case of a MERS-CoV variant using ACE2. NeoCoV has potential of human emergence with both high fatality and transmission rate.
NeoCoV ni aina inayohusiana na MERS-CoV ambayo hutumia popo ACE 2 vipokezi vya kuingia na kuambukizwa kwenye seli za popo. Hata hivyo, matatizo ya MERS-CoV hutumia vipokezi vya DPP4 kwa kuingia kwa seli. Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba NeoCoV si lahaja mpya ya SARS-cov-2 ambayo imesababisha janga la ulimwengu tangu kuibuka kwake mnamo Novemba 2019.
This article shows that NeoCoV and its close relative PDF-2180-CoV is able to efficiently bind to ACE 2 receptors in bat, but bind less favourably to human ACE 2 receptors. Studies using cryo-electron microscopy revealed a distinct virusi-ACE 2 binding surface in case of binding of NeoCoV and PDF-2180-CoV to ACE 2 receptors. A molecular determinant implicates Asp 338 residue, that prevents NeoCoV from binding to human ACE 2 receptor. In addition, a T510F mutation in the receptor binding motif of NeoCoV causes it to efficiently bind human ACE 2 receptor.
Given the high fatality rate of 35% associated with MERS-CoV related virusi derived from Beta CoV lineage, the NeoCoV could pose a potential threat to emergence of a high transmissible strain of NeoCoV and PDF-2180-CoV (upon gaining the T510F mutation due to antigenic drift) that can cause infection and mortality in humans, far worse than the current pandemic. Antigenic drift refers to random genetic mabadiliko iliyosababisha mabadiliko katika protini muundo, na hivyo kubadilisha uwezo wa protini kushikamana na kipokezi fulani. Kwa kuongezea, maambukizo yaliyosababishwa na mabadiliko ya T510F ya NeoCoV, hayakuweza kutenganishwa na kingamwili zinazolenga SARS-CoV-2 au MERS-CoV.
The entire global community hopes that the mutation in NeoCoV and PDF-2180-CoV that causes it to efficiently bind to human ACE 2 receptor, remains a laboratory study to understand the virulence of these virusi, and it doesn’t become a case of zoonotic transmission from bats to humans, creating another worldwide chaos.
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chanzo:
Yan H., et al 2022. Jamaa wa karibu wa MERS-CoV katika popo hutumia ACE2 kama vipokezi vyao vya kufanya kazi. Chapisha awali bioRxiv. Ilichapishwa Januari 25, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.24.477490
