Abstract
In 2002, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV) appeared as a novel human virus with high similarity to bat coronaviruses. However, while SARS-CoV uses the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for cellular entry, no coronavirus isolated from bats appears to use ACE2. Here we show that signatures of recurrent positive selection in the bat ACE2 gene map almost perfectly to known SARS-CoV interaction surfaces. Our data indicate that ACE2 utilization preceded the emergence of SARS-CoV-like viruses from bats.
Publication types
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
- Animals
- Chiroptera / virology*
- Humans
- Models, Molecular
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / genetics
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism*
- Receptors, Virus / genetics
- Receptors, Virus / metabolism*
- Selection, Genetic
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / genetics
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / physiology*
- Virus Internalization*
Substances
- Receptors, Virus
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
- ACE2 protein, human
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2