The Blubber

New Bat Coronavirus Discovered with Potential to Infect Humans

A newly identified bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, has been found to have the ability to spread to humans, similar to the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discovery of HKU5-CoV-2

The virus was identified by a Chinese research team led by virologist Shi Zhengli, known for her extensive work on coronaviruses. Shi, a key researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has been at the center of discussions surrounding the origins of COVID-19, particularly regarding the lab leak theory, which she has denied.

Why This Matters

While hundreds of coronaviruses exist, only a few have been shown to infect humans, including SARS, SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19), and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).

What makes HKU5-CoV-2 notable is its ability to bind to the ACE2 receptor—the same receptor used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter human cells. This increases its potential to infect humans compared to many other bat coronaviruses.

What is HKU5-CoV-2?

HKU5-CoV-2 belongs to the merbecovirus group, which also includes MERS-CoV. It shows a stronger ability to bind to human ACE2 receptors, making it more similar to SARS-CoV-2 and NL63, a common cold virus.

Researchers used Cryo-EM technology, a powerful imaging technique, to analyze how the virus binds to human cells. In laboratory tests, HKU5-CoV-2 successfully infected human cell cultures using mini-human organ models.

The study states:
"Bat merbecoviruses, which are phylogenetically related to MERS-CoV, pose a high risk of spillover to humans, either through direct transmission or via intermediate hosts."

Key Findings

The research was conducted by scientists from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Guangzhou Laboratory, and Guangzhou Academy of Sciences and was published in the journal Cell.

The study highlights that while HKU5-CoV-2 has the biological capability to infect human cells, the actual risk of spillover to humans remains unknown.

Researchers found that:
"Authentic HKU5-CoV-2 infected human ACE2-expressing cell lines and human respiratory and enteric organoids. This study reveals a distinct lineage of HKU5-CoVs in bats that efficiently use human ACE2 and underscores their potential zoonotic risk."

What’s Next?

It remains unclear whether HKU5-CoV-2 will lead to disease in humans, but researchers emphasize the importance of monitoring its potential for transmission.