Past coronaviruses suggest more viruses than we thought may have a way to sneak into our cells

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-02-04 10:30

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Coronaviruses' ability to bind to the ACE2 receptor — an important step in their ability to infect humans and other animals — could be more widespread than previously thought, according to US research. The researchers found that instead of being a recent development, the ability to bind ACE2 is an ancient property of bat SARS-related coronaviruses, and is found in coronaviruses outside of Asia. The researchers also found that many of the coronaviruses that already bind one species’ ACE2 can jump to another species’ ACE2 (including humans’) by switching a single protein building block, or amino acid. They say this broadens the range of viruses in this group that could spillover in humans.