Virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses dynamically circulating in Southeast Asia
By sampling horseshoe bats-the reservoir hosts of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses (SC2r-CoVs)-in Thailand, we present two clades of SC2r-CoVs co-circulating in the same bat population. Through a comprehensive set of experimental approaches, including cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), pseudovirus and live virus assays, and hamster experiments, we characterize the virological properties of these new viruses. We show that one of the two clades discovered in this study is able to bind the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor; however, it exhibits reduced fusogenicity and replication in vitro and lower pathogenicity and transmissibility compared with SARS-CoV-2. Phylogeography and recombination analyses reveal a complex evolutionary history for these viruses characterized by extensive, recent geographic movement and recombination with co-circulating virus lineages. Our findings provide new insights into the diversity of SC2r-CoVs dynamically co-circulating in Southeast Asia as well as the virological characteristics of these viruses relative to SARS-CoV-2.
Authors
- Sasiprapa Ninwattana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1398-3929)
- Hiroaki Akasaka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2118-0912)
- Wilaiporn Saikruang
- Khwankamon Rattanatumhi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9260-5108)
- Arnon Plianchaisuk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2416-0508)
- Nutthinee Sirichan
- Tanawut Srisuk
- Ryo Matsunaga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7702-9176)
- Osamu Nureki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1813-7008)
- Hesham Nasser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9163-1665)
- Masumi Tsuda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5400-5905)
- Nattakarn Thippamom (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2354-820X)
- Bingjie Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6677-9454)
- Yoshitaka Oda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3770-9684)
- Spyros Lytras (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4202-6682)
- Ananporn Supataragul (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5658-5691)
- Wataru Shihoya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4813-5740)
- Kirana Noradechanon
- Tetsuharu Nagamoto
- Shigeru Fujita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9008-2123)
- Opass Putcharoen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8444-8512)
- Patarapol Maneeorn
- Takao Hashiguchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7578-7571)
- Prateep Duengkae (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1550-7977)
- Maximilian Stanley Yo
- Kazuhisa Yoshimura
- Lianzhao Du
- Keiya Uriu
- Kei Sato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4431-1380)
- Hiroyuki Asakura
- Terumasa Ikeda
- Kenji Sadamasu
- Hin Chu
- Yuki Yamamoto
- Ziyi Guo
- Alfredo Hinay
- Kanata Matsumoto
- Kouhei Tsumoto
- Kanako Terakado Kimura
- Takanori Asakura
- Lei Wang
- Yusuke Kosugi
- Shinya Tanaka
- Mami Nagashima
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee
Institutions
- Suez Canal University (EG)
- Tokyo University of Technology (JP)
- Tokyo Medical University (JP)
- Kasetsart University (TH)
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- Kyoto University (JP)
- King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (TH)
- Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (TH)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health (JP)
- Hokkaido University Hospital (JP)
- MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (GB)
- Kitasato Institute Hospital (JP)
- The University of Tokyo (JP)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Kumamoto University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cell
- Published
- 2026-05-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2026.04.019
- Primary Topic
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science London