A research group from China has discovered a novel bat coronavirus that presents a potential threat of crossing from animals to humans, as it leverages the same human receptor as the virus that causes COVID-19.
The investigation was led by Shi Zhengli, a distinguished virologist acclaimed for her in-depth studies on bat coronaviruses, at the Guangzhou Laboratory. She partnered with researchers from the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The recently identified virus is part of the HKU5 coronavirus lineage, which was first detected in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong. It falls under the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the pathogen responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Significantly, the virus can attach to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the same receptor used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to infiltrate human cells.
Shi Zhengli is widely recognized for her research at the Wuhan Institute, which has been the subject of persistent discussions regarding the origins of COVID-19. One hypothesis proposes that the virus might have stemmed from a laboratory leak in the city.
Although there is no agreement on the origins of the virus, some studies suggest it might have first arisen in bats before spilling over to humans through an intermediate animal host. Shi has repeatedly refuted any claims of the institute’s involvement in the outbreak.