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The RBDs of the three viruses sequenced from bats in Laos – named BANAL-52, BANAL-103 and BANAL-236 – are closer to Sars-CoV-2 than the much-discussed RaTG13 virus identified in bats in Yunnan Province, already seen as the closest match. They also appeared to be just as well suited for infecting humans as Sars-CoV-2, which is another argument put forward by proponents of lab leaks: that the virus was designed to be especially dangerous in humans.
Professor Neil said it was likely the evidence would come piecemeal, rather than identifying a “smoking bat” as it has been dubbed. For example, other bat viruses have also been discovered that are also closer to RaTG13 in several respects, including in Cambodia.
“I’m not sure we’ll ever find something the same, but what we’re going to find are viruses with almost identical pieces,” he said. “It’s an incredibly complex ecosystem and whether we’re lucky and find the right one, or whether it’s just in pieces, will be an open question.”
However, he said that the fact that the new research had shown that some bats were infected with several different coronaviruses simultaneously provided the perfect conditions for recombination – or the coming together of these “pieces”, like genetic building blocks, for form a new virus, such as Sars-CoV-2.
Experts estimate that previous close matches found diverged from Sars-Cov-2 about 40 years ago; they suggest that Laotian viruses diverged about 12 years ago.
Professor Eddie Holmes, an evolutionary biologist and virologist at the University of Sydney, said The telegraph: “This is a very important study that adds compelling support for a naturally occurring zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2. “
He also said that meant that the theory of the miners in Mojiang province involved – the miners working near the cave where the RaTG13 was found – could be “thrown in the trash”.
“This work also highlights how common these SARS-CoV-2-like viruses are in nature, including those that have the ability to infect humans. Without a doubt, many more viruses will be discovered, ”he said.
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