Although the media has reported from the outset that a new coronavirus has appeared on humans in the Wuhan marketplace, where it has jumped from animals, the internet is full of different theories ranging from bioterrorism to a failed laboratory experiment. Researchers from the US, UK and Australia have revealed by genome analysis in Nature Medicine that the virus is not a laboratory accident or deliberately genetically modified. Like so many times in history, we had the resin that the wrong bat at the wrong time met the wrong man at the wrong place.
The professional name for the virus is SARS-CoV-2 and belongs to the group of coronaviruses in which humans are also at risk of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and four colds (HKU1, NL63, OC43 and 229E). Coronaviruses are even more abundant in nature because they infect animals primarily. There are four genera of coronaviruses: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Alpha and beta originate from bats, gamma from birds and delta from pigs. They may also infect other animals, such as cows. SARS, MERS, and SARS-2 (the new coronavirus) are beta coronaviruses, as are O43 and HKU1. Two dangerous NL63 viruses, 229E in alpha. Although these viruses are relatively young in life, a common ancestor of all coronaviruses existed 10,000 years ago, they have only been skipped in modern times.
We know almost everything about SARS-CoV-2 as a virus, that is, its RNA and structure - the bigger challenge is knowing the course of the disease it causes. SARS-CoV-2 binds to ACE2 receptors. SARS-CoV-2 binds strongly to ACE2, but with genetic engineering, its receptor binding domain could be further enhanced as it is not optimal. This is strong evidence that the virus is not artificially created or modified, the researchers conclude.
The next question is why bats? This is no coincidence as bats are known to host some of the most dangerous viruses. Their immune system is probably the strongest among mammals, so the most dangerous viruses can develop in them. If they then jump to other mammals that have a weaker immune system, the result is a pandemic.
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