Discovering a New Virus in a Rare Bat's Liver Sample

David Palenski
24th January, 2024

Discovering a New Virus in a Rare Bat's Liver Sample

Great Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros armiger)

Photo adapted from: Ian Dugdale / CC BY (Source)
Bats are known to carry a wide range of viruses that can potentially jump to humans, a process known as zoonotic transmission. Identifying these viruses in bats is crucial for predicting and preventing future outbreaks. Researchers at Southwest Medical University[1] recently investigated bats in Yunnan Province, China, to identify novel viruses they might be carrying. Their work focused on adenoviruses, a family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from mild respiratory infections to more severe diseases. The study involved collecting liver samples from 21 bats (specifically Hipposideros armiger) and analyzing them for the presence of viruses. Only one sample (around 4.8%) tested positive for an adenovirus, which the researchers named YN01. This highlights that while bats are reservoirs for viruses, the prevalence of any single virus within a bat population can be relatively low. To understand YN01, the researchers determined its complete genetic code – 37,676 base pairs – and identified 28 genes within it, known as open reading frames. They then compared the genetic information of YN01 to other known adenoviruses. This analysis showed that YN01 belongs to the Mastadenovirus genus and is most closely related to an adenovirus previously found in another bat species, Rhinolophus sinicus, in China in 2016. This finding builds on previous research demonstrating the diversity of adenoviruses found in bats[2]. The earlier study, which examined bats from the southeastern coast of China, identified a novel bat adenovirus, Bat-Advcxc6, and highlighted the need for further investigation into their potential to cross species. The current study, by identifying YN01, adds to this growing body of knowledge about bat-borne adenoviruses. Understanding the genetic relationships between different viruses is important for assessing the risk of cross-species transmission. While YN01 is similar to other bat adenoviruses, further research is needed to determine if it could infect other animals, including humans. This is particularly relevant given that bats have been linked to several human viral outbreaks, including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2[3]. The researchers emphasize the need for further analysis to assess the potential for YN01 to transmit to other species. This type of research is vital for understanding the ecology of bat-borne viruses and preparing for potential future infectious diseases. It also aligns with a broader approach to identifying potential zoonotic hosts by examining the interaction between viral proteins and host cell receptors, as demonstrated in studies focusing on SARS-CoV-2[4]. This computational approach, which models the binding affinity between viral proteins and host cells, can help prioritize which viruses and animal species require further investigation. Interestingly, research into bat adenoviruses has also yielded unexpected benefits in other areas of medicine. For example, scientists have explored using bat adenoviruses as a basis for developing oncolytic viruses – viruses that selectively kill cancer cells – for canine cancer treatment[5]. This demonstrates that studying bat viruses can have applications beyond preventing outbreaks, potentially leading to new therapies for diseases in both animals and humans.

WildlifeBiotechGenetics

References

Main Study

1) Identification of a novel adenovirus in liver tissue sample of the Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros armiger).

Published 23rd January, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01258-5

Related Studies

2) Genomic characteristics and pathogenicity of a new bat adenoviruses strains that was isolated in at sites along the southeastern coasts of the P. R. of China from 2015 to 2019.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198653

3) Bat-borne virus diversity, spillover and emergence.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0394-z

4) Identifying zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2 by modeling the binding affinity between Spike receptor-binding domain and host ACE2.

https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.11.293449

5) A potential bat adenovirus-based oncolytic virus targeting canine cancers.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96101-4


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