Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8

Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8 (Bat-CoV HKU8) is an enveloped, single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus species in the genus Alphacoronavirus with a corona-like morphology. It causes severe acute respiratory syndrome in bats. Isolates have not been found in humans.

Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8
Virus classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Pisuviricota
Class: Pisoniviricetes
Order: Nidovirales
Family: Coronaviridae
Genus: Alphacoronavirus
Subgenus: Minunacovirus
Species:
Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8

Genome

The coronaviruses are among the largest RNA viruses, with complex polyadenylated genomes of 26–32 kb, and are divided into four genera: alpha, beta, gamma, and deltacoronaviruses.[1] The Alpha and betacoronaviruses are derived from the bat gene pool. There are at least four different, but closely related, Alphacoronaviruses (bat-CoV 1A, 1B, HKU7 and HKU8) circulating in bent-winged bats. Coronaviruses in bats are descended from a common ancestor and have been evolving in bats over a long period of time.[2]

A significant percentage of newly emerging viruses are RNA viruses. It is believed this is due to the fact that RNA viruses have a much higher nucleotide mutation rate than DNA viruses.[3]

Habitat

The common bent-wing bat is ubiquitous around the world and can be found in the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Croatia, Dominican Republic, possibly Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Gibraltar, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, possibly Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.

See also

References
  1. Chu DK, Poon LL, Chan KH, Chen H, Guan Y, Yuen KY, Peiris JS..Coronaviruses in bent-winged bats (Miniopterus spp.). J Gen Virol. 2006 Sep;87(Pt 9):2461-6.
  2. Chu DK, Peiris JS, Chen H, Guan Y, Poon LL. Genomic characterizations of bat coronaviruses (1A, 1B and HKU8) and evidence for co-infections in Miniopterus bats..J Gen Virol. 2008 May;89(Pt 5):1282-7. doi: 10.1099/vir.0.83605-0.
  3. Chu, David K.W., Peiris, J.S. Malik, and Poon, Leo, L.M. Novel Coronaviruses and Astroviruses in Bats. Virologica Sinica. April 2009, 24(2): 100-104.
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