<i>In vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> characterization of a bat merbecovirus with ACE2- and DPP4-independent cell entry.

ABSTRACT: Betacoronaviruses, which have caused three human outbreaks within the last two decades, are thought to originate from bats, raising the concern that bat coronaviruses could cause a novel human outbreak in the future. To determine whether the bat merbecovirus EjCoV-3 strain, previously detected in Eptesicus japonensis in Japan, has the potential to infect humans, we analyzed its cellular entry mechanism. Cellular entry of EjCoV-3 via the spike protein requires protease treatment and is mediated by an unknown receptor, other than DPP4 or ACE2. We generated cultivable recombinant EjCoV-3 using bacterial artificial chromosome-based reverse genetics and found that it efficiently replicated in human respiratory and intestinal cell cultures as well as nasal ciliated epithelium in hamsters.

SUBMITTER: Matsugo H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12282129 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature