Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020
Bats are considered the main reservoir of coronaviruses (CoVs), and research evidence suggests the essential role of bats in the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-like viruses have been recently detected in bats in different countries. I...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/7/876 |
| _version_ | 1827732160675577856 |
|---|---|
| author | Ahmed Kandeil Mounir Abi-Said Rebecca Badra Rabeh El-Shesheny Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy Radwan Alnajjar Zumama Khalid Mina Nabil Kamel Walid Abi Habib Jad Abdallah Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran Richard Webby Ghazi Kayali |
| author_facet | Ahmed Kandeil Mounir Abi-Said Rebecca Badra Rabeh El-Shesheny Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy Radwan Alnajjar Zumama Khalid Mina Nabil Kamel Walid Abi Habib Jad Abdallah Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran Richard Webby Ghazi Kayali |
| author_sort | Ahmed Kandeil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bats are considered the main reservoir of coronaviruses (CoVs), and research evidence suggests the essential role of bats in the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-like viruses have been recently detected in bats in different countries. In 2020, we conducted surveillance for CoVs among six different bat species in Lebanon. Of 622 swab specimens taken, 77 tested positive. Alpha- and Beta- CoVs were identified in samples collected from different species. Our results show that SARS-like coronaviruses circulate in bats in this region, and we provide new data on their genetic diversity. The interaction between the spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor could be crucial in understanding the origin of the epidemic. The 3D protein structure analysis revealed that the receptor-binding domains of the SARS-like virus identified in Lebanon bind to the hACE2 protein more efficiently than to the spike of the SARS-CoV-2 strain. The spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses does not contain the recognition site of furin at the cleavage site. Thus, our study highlights the variety of bat coronaviruses in Lebanon and suggests the zoonotic potential for other SARS-CoV-like viruses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:44:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d00cac625b14aaa8f3cec4d942bec4f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:44:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d00cac625b14aaa8f3cec4d942bec4f2023-11-18T20:50:15ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-06-0112787610.3390/pathogens12070876Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020Ahmed Kandeil0Mounir Abi-Said1Rebecca Badra2Rabeh El-Shesheny3Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy4Radwan Alnajjar5Zumama Khalid6Mina Nabil Kamel7Walid Abi Habib8Jad Abdallah9Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran10Richard Webby11Ghazi Kayali12Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USAL2GE Department of Earth and Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar 90656, LebanonHuman Link DMCC, Dubai 115738, United Arab EmiratesCenter of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Institute of Environmental Research and Climate Change, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, EgyptPharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahram Canadian University, Giza 12566, EgyptDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi 1308, LibyaDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Genova, 16126 Genova, ItalyCenter of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Institute of Environmental Research and Climate Change, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, EgyptMulti-Omics Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, P.O. Box 36, Byblos 1401, LebanonMulti-Omics Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, P.O. Box 36, Byblos 1401, LebanonSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, ChinaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USAHuman Link DMCC, Dubai 115738, United Arab EmiratesBats are considered the main reservoir of coronaviruses (CoVs), and research evidence suggests the essential role of bats in the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-like viruses have been recently detected in bats in different countries. In 2020, we conducted surveillance for CoVs among six different bat species in Lebanon. Of 622 swab specimens taken, 77 tested positive. Alpha- and Beta- CoVs were identified in samples collected from different species. Our results show that SARS-like coronaviruses circulate in bats in this region, and we provide new data on their genetic diversity. The interaction between the spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor could be crucial in understanding the origin of the epidemic. The 3D protein structure analysis revealed that the receptor-binding domains of the SARS-like virus identified in Lebanon bind to the hACE2 protein more efficiently than to the spike of the SARS-CoV-2 strain. The spike of the detected SARS-CoV-like viruses does not contain the recognition site of furin at the cleavage site. Thus, our study highlights the variety of bat coronaviruses in Lebanon and suggests the zoonotic potential for other SARS-CoV-like viruses.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/7/876coronavirusesSARS-CoV-2batreservoirLebanonzoonoses |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed Kandeil Mounir Abi-Said Rebecca Badra Rabeh El-Shesheny Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy Radwan Alnajjar Zumama Khalid Mina Nabil Kamel Walid Abi Habib Jad Abdallah Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran Richard Webby Ghazi Kayali Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 Pathogens coronaviruses SARS-CoV-2 bat reservoir Lebanon zoonoses |
| title | Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 |
| title_full | Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 |
| title_fullStr | Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 |
| title_short | Detection of Coronaviruses in Bats in Lebanon during 2020 |
| title_sort | detection of coronaviruses in bats in lebanon during 2020 |
| topic | coronaviruses SARS-CoV-2 bat reservoir Lebanon zoonoses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/7/876 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ahmedkandeil detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT mounirabisaid detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT rebeccabadra detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT rabehelshesheny detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT ahmedaalkarmalawy detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT radwanalnajjar detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT zumamakhalid detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT minanabilkamel detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT walidabihabib detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT jadabdallah detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT vijaykrishnadhanasekaran detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT richardwebby detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 AT ghazikayali detectionofcoronavirusesinbatsinlebanonduring2020 |