Detection and Characterization of Bat Sarbecovirus Phylogenetically Related to SARS-CoV-2, Japan.

Detection and Characterization of Bat Sarbecovirus Phylogenetically Related to SARS-CoV-2, Japan.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Dec;26(12):3025-3029
Authors: Murakami S, Kitamura T, Suzuki J, Sato R, Aoi T, Fujii M, Matsugo H, Kamiki H, Ishida H, Takenaka-Uema A, Shimojima M, Horimoto T
Abstract
Epidemiology of bat Betacoronavirus, subgenus Sarbecovirus is largely unknown, especially outside China. We detected a sarbecovirus phylogenetically related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from Rhinolophus cornutus bats in Japan. The sarbecovirus' spike protein specifically recognizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 of R. cornutus, but not humans, as an entry receptor.
PMID: 33219796 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases - November 23, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Murakami S, Kitamura T, Suzuki J, Sato R, Aoi T, Fujii M, Matsugo H, Kamiki H, Ishida H, Takenaka-Uema A, Shimojima M, Horimoto T Tags: Emerg Infect Dis Source Type: research