1. Mutations that adapt SARS-CoV-2 to mink or ferret do not increase fitness in the human airway.
- Author
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Zhou, Jie, Peacock, Thomas P., Brown, Jonathan C., Goldhill, Daniel H., Elrefaey, Ahmed M.E., Penrice-Randal, Rebekah, Cowton, Vanessa M., De Lorenzo, Giuditta, Furnon, Wilhelm, Harvey, William T., Kugathasan, Ruthiran, Frise, Rebecca, Baillon, Laury, Lassaunière, Ria, Thakur, Nazia, Gallo, Giulia, Goldswain, Hannah, Donovan-Banfield, I'ah, Dong, Xiaofeng, and Randle, Nadine P.
- Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has a broad mammalian species tropism infecting humans, cats, dogs, and farmed mink. Since the start of the 2019 pandemic, several reverse zoonotic outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 have occurred in mink, one of which reinfected humans and caused a cluster of infections in Denmark. Here we investigate the molecular basis of mink and ferret adaptation and demonstrate the spike mutations Y453F, F486L, and N501T all specifically adapt SARS-CoV-2 to use mustelid ACE2. Furthermore, we risk assess these mutations and conclude mink-adapted viruses are unlikely to pose an increased threat to humans, as Y453F attenuates the virus replication in human cells and all three mink adaptations have minimal antigenic impact. Finally, we show that certain SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging from circulation in humans may naturally have a greater propensity to infect mustelid hosts and therefore these species should continue to be surveyed for reverse zoonotic infections. [Display omitted] • Y453F, F486L, and N501T often arise in SARS-CoV-2 spike during ferret/mink adaptation • These mutations specifically adapt SARS-CoV-2 to use ferret ACE2 • Common ferret or mink adaptations attenuate the virus in human airway cells • SARS-CoV-2 variants can use ferret ACE2 with any adaptation Zhou et al. show that common mink/ferret adaptations of SARS-CoV-2 enhance the use of the otherwise poorly used ferret ACE2 receptor, while weakening virus replication in human airway cells. However, many SARS-CoV-2 variants can intrinsically enter cells via ferret ACE2 implying these hosts may be more susceptible to novel strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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