In karst caves on the border of Laos and China, biologists have discovered five previously unknown species of coronavirus, which are carried by horseshoe bats. According to the publication of Nature, these three out of five types of the virus are able to penetrate the cells of the human body – these are BANAL-52, BANAL-103 and BANAL-236. These viruses were close to SARS-CoV-2, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is reported that the researchers were interested in the population of bats in the north of Laos, since horseshoe bats Rhinolophus affinis, which are carriers of the RaTG13 virus, which is considered close to SARS-CoV-2, live in similar conditions. During the study, biologists captured several hundred animals, collected samples of blood and other biological fluids, and then identified several dozen coronaviruses, including those known to science.
Studies of the BANAL-236 virus showed that it could actively bind to the human version of the ACE2 protein, therefore it penetrated into human cells and multiplied inside. In terms of reproduction rate, the virus was inferior to SARS-CoV-2, but it affected the same types of cells. Two other newly discovered viruses behave similarly, the scientists found.
According to the findings of the researchers, the data obtained for the three new coronaviruses support the theory that the origin of SARS-CoV-2 was indeed the territory of southern China or other neighboring areas.
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