Jin Tian,Jiumeng Sun,Dongyan Li,Ningning Wang,Lifang Wang,Chang Zhang,Xiaorong Meng,Xiang Ji,Marc A Suchard,Xu Zhang,Alexander Lai,Shuo Su,Michael Veit

Cell Rep.2022 Jun 14;39(11):110969.doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110969. Epub 2022 May 30.

Review

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases, especially if caused by bat-borne viruses, significantly affect public health and the global economy. There is an urgent need to understand the mechanism of interspecies transmission, particularly to humans. Viral genetics; host factors, including polymorphisms in the receptors; and ecological, environmental, and population dynamics are major parameters to consider. Here, we describe the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and unique traits of bats associated with their importance as virus reservoirs. Then, we summarize the origin, intermediate hosts, and the current understanding of interspecies transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2, Nipah, Hendra, Ebola, Marburg virus, and rotaviruses. Finally, the molecular interactions of viral surface proteins with host cell receptors are examined, and a comparison of these interactions in humans, intermediate hosts, and bats is conducted. This uncovers adaptive mutations in virus spike protein that facilitate cross-species transmission and risk factors associated with the emergence of novel viruses from bats.

Keywords: CP: Microbiology; RNA virus; bat; interspecies transmission.

Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.