New Insights into Bats' Unique Virus Tolerance
Bats serve as reservoirs for numerous viruses, including Ebola, rabies, and coronaviruses, demonstrating an impressive ability to harbor these pathogens without succumbing to illness. Recent research from an international team, part of the Bat 1k project, delves into the underlying mechanisms of this remarkable viral tolerance, with findings published in the journal Nature.
The study's relevance to medical science is profound, as understanding the immune systems and unique virus resistance of bats may yield crucial insights for developing innovative therapies and medications. Researchers sequenced the genomes of ten bat species known to carry coronaviruses and other viral agents, alongside analyzing 115 genomes from various mammals to identify signs of genetic adaptations indicative of positive selection.
The findings revealed that bats exhibit a significantly higher frequency of immune gene adaptations compared to other mammals. These adaptations include genes that regulate antiviral inflammatory responses and those involved in virus detection. The research suggests that the evolution of the bat immune system may be intricately linked to their ability to fly.
Special attention was given to Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), a crucial player in pathogen defense. This gene is activated during infections and binds to viral proteins, marking them for degradation by the immune system, thereby suppressing viral replication. In bats, the ISG15 protein's structure varies at the site responsible for its dimerization, a critical feature for its extracellular functions.
Notably, the research indicated that ISG15 from certain bat species could reduce the intracellular production of SARS-CoV-2 by 80 to 90 percent, whereas human ISG15 showed minimal antiviral activity in cell experiments. This suggests that ISG15 could be one of several factors contributing to bats' resistance to viral diseases.
These new findings lay the groundwork for further exploration of bats' immune system adaptations, potentially paving the way for the development of new antiviral treatments in the future.
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