lancet-header

Preprints with The Lancet is part of SSRN´s First Look, a place where journals identify content of interest prior to publication. Authors have opted in at submission to The Lancet family of journals to post their preprints on Preprints with The Lancet. The usual SSRN checks and a Lancet-specific check for appropriateness and transparency have been applied. Preprints available here are not Lancet publications or necessarily under review with a Lancet journal. These preprints are early stage research papers that have not been peer-reviewed. The findings should not be used for clinical or public health decision making and should not be presented to a lay audience without highlighting that they are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed. For more information on this collaboration, see the comments published in The Lancet about the trial period, and our decision to make this a permanent offering, or visit The Lancet´s FAQ page, and for any feedback please contact preprints@lancet.com.

SARS-CoV-2 Compatible ACE2 Receptors in Little Brown Bats ( Myotis lucifugus)

25 Pages Posted: 19 Dec 2022

See all articles by Shubhada K. Chothe

Shubhada K. Chothe

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Padmaja Jakka

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Veda Sheersh Boorla

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Chemical Engineering

Santhamani Ramasamy

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory

Abhinay Gontu

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Ruth H. Nissly

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Justin Brown

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory

Gregory Turner

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Brent J. Sewall

Temple University - Department of Biology

DeeAnn Reeder

Bucknell University - Department of Biology

Kenneth A. Field

Bucknell University - Department of Biology

Julie B. Engiles

University of Pennsylvania

Saranya Amirthalingam

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Abirami Ravichandran

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory

Lindsey LaBella

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Meera Surendran Nair

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

Costas D. Maranas

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Chemical Engineering

Suresh Kuchipudi

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics

More...

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), believed to have originated from a bat species, can infect a wide range of non-human hosts. Bats are known to harbor hundreds of coronaviruses capable of spillover into human populations. Earlier studies showed a significant variation in susceptibility among bat species to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ability of spike protein to bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor is a crucial determinant of host susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry and SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus-based virus binding assays were used to demonstrate ACE2 expression and virus binding in the respiratory and GI tracts of adult and juvenile LBB. Rosetta binding energy calculations and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were used to demonstrate binding energy simulations for ACE2-RBD complexes and ACE2-RBD interactions in various animal species.

Findings: We show that LBBs' trachea and intestine abundantly express ACE2 and the transmembrane serine protease 2 and support SARS-CoV-2 binding. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations revealed that LBB ACE2 formed strong electrostatic interactions with the RBD similar to human and cat ACE2 proteins.

Interpretation: Little Brown Bats, a widely distributed North American bat species, could be at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and potentially serve as a natural reservoir and warrant targeted surveillance of LBB.

Funding Information: This work is partially supported by the Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences endowed chair funding (S.V.K.) and white-nose syndrome grant F15AP00956 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (to B.J.S, G.G.T., and D.M.R.).

Declaration of Interests: All the authors declare that they have no competing interests

Ethics Considerations: The study (DMR-17) was approved by the Bucknell University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and all methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Little Brown Bats, ACE2, TMPRSS2, Infectious Disease

Suggested Citation

Chothe, Shubhada K. and Jakka, Padmaja and Boorla, Veda Sheersh and Ramasamy, Santhamani and Gontu, Abhinay and Nissly, Ruth H. and Brown, Justin and Turner, Gregory and Sewall, Brent J. and Reeder, DeeAnn and Field, Kenneth A. and Engiles, Julie B. and Amirthalingam, Saranya and Ravichandran, Abirami and LaBella, Lindsey and Surendran Nair, Meera and Maranas, Costas D. and Kuchipudi, Suresh, SARS-CoV-2 Compatible ACE2 Receptors in Little Brown Bats ( Myotis lucifugus). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4304726 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4304726

Shubhada K. Chothe

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Padmaja Jakka

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Veda Sheersh Boorla

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Chemical Engineering ( email )

Santhamani Ramasamy

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory ( email )

Abhinay Gontu

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Ruth H. Nissly

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Justin Brown

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory ( email )

Gregory Turner

Pennsylvania Game Commission ( email )

Brent J. Sewall

Temple University - Department of Biology ( email )

DeeAnn Reeder

Bucknell University - Department of Biology ( email )

Kenneth A. Field

Bucknell University - Department of Biology ( email )

Julie B. Engiles

University of Pennsylvania ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States

Saranya Amirthalingam

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Abirami Ravichandran

Pennsylvania State University - Animal Diagnostic Laboratory ( email )

Lindsey LaBella

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Meera Surendran Nair

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Costas D. Maranas

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Chemical Engineering ( email )

Suresh Kuchipudi (Contact Author)

Pennsylvania State University - Center for Infection Disease Dynamics ( email )

Click here to go to TheLancet.com

Paper statistics

Downloads
58
Abstract Views
314
PlumX Metrics