MERS類似のコウモリウイルスが人間感染に近づく可能性(Bat viruses similar to MERS have potential to jump to humans)

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2025-06-04 ワシントン州立大学(WSU)

ワシントン州立大学などの国際研究チームは、MERSに類似したコウモリ由来ウイルス「HKU5」が人間に感染する可能性を持つことを明らかにしました。HKU5はSARS-CoV-2と同じACE2受容体を利用して細胞に侵入する兆候を示し、スパイクタンパク質の変異によってヒト細胞感染能力が高まる恐れがあります。研究ではAIツール「AlphaFold 3」を用いて受容体との結合構造を予測し、感染リスク評価や将来のワクチン開発に貢献する知見が得られました。成果は『Nature Communications』誌に掲載。

<関連情報>

アブラコウモリ由来のACE2はHKU5コロナウイルスの受容体である ACE2 from Pipistrellus abramus bats is a receptor for HKU5 coronaviruses

Nicholas J. Catanzaro,Ziyan Wu,Chengcheng Fan,Victoria Jefferson,Anfal Abdelgadir,Alexandra Schäfer,Boyd L. Yount,Pamela J. Bjorkman,Ralph Baric & Michael Letko
Nature Communications  Published:28 May 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60286-3

MERS類似のコウモリウイルスが人間感染に近づく可能性(Bat viruses similar to MERS have potential to jump to humans)

Abstract

The merbecovirus subgenus of coronaviruses includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a zoonotic pathogen transmitted from dromedary camels to humans that causes severe respiratory disease. Viral discovery efforts uncover hundreds of merbecoviruses in different species across multiple continents, but few are studied under laboratory conditions, leaving basic questions regarding their human threat potential unresolved. Viral entry into host cells is a critical step for transmission between hosts. Here, we develop and apply a scalable approach to assesses novel merbecovirus cell entry across the entire merbecovirus subgenus. Merbecoviruses are sorted into clades based on the receptor-binding domain of the spike glycoprotein. Receptor tropism is clade-specific, with the clade including MERS-CoV using DPP4 and multiple clades using ACE2, including HKU5 bat coronaviruses. Mutational analysis identifies possible structural limitations to HKU5 adaptability and a cryo-EM structure of the HKU5-20s spike trimer reveals only ‘down’ RBDs.

細胞遺伝子工学
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