SARS-CoV-2 causes the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Natural SARS-COV-2 infection has been detected in dogs, cats and tigers. However, the symptoms in canines and felines were mild. The underlying mechanisms are unknown. Excessive activation of inflammasome pathways can trigger cytokine storm and severe damage to host. In current study, we performed a comparative genomics study of key components of inflammasome and pyroptosis pathways in dogs, cats and tigers. Cats and tigers do not have AIM2 and NLRP1. Dogs do not contain AIM2, and encode a short form of NLRC4. The activation sites in GSDMB were absent in dogs, cats and tigers, while GSDME activation sites in cats and tigers were abolished. We propose that deficiencies of inflammasome and pyroptosis pathways might provide an evolutionary advantage against SARS-CoV-2 by reducing cytokine storm-induced host damage. Our findings will shed important lights on the mild symptoms in canines and felines infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7876337 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.592622 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
When paleontology meets genomics: complete mitochondrial genomes of two saber-toothed cats' species (Felidae: Machairodontinae).
Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal
December 2024
Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Federal University of Viçosa Campus Rio Paranaíba, Rio Paranaíba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- Only two species of saber-toothed cats, the scimitar-toothed cat and saber-toothed tiger, have partial mitochondrial genomes listed in the NCBI database, lacking the control region and containing gaps in key gene sequences.
- This study aimed to complete the mitogenomes of these two species using next-generation sequencing data, resulting in fully assembled mitogenomes with standard gene arrangements typical of vertebrates.
- The findings indicate a close genetic relationship to previous studies but suggest a distinct divergence between North American and North Sea specimens, potentially linked to migrations during the Early Pleistocene across Beringia.
Felid scavenging in forensic taphonomic research: An experimental approach.
Forensic Sci Int
December 2024
Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Electronic address:
Animal scavenging on human remains presents a major challenge at a forensic scene. These lasting changes can influence the interpretation of a post-mortem interval, the overall state of the remains and any associated evidence, impacting the integrity of the scene. Therefore, identifying taphonomic related changes due to animal scavenging is important to understand the post-deposition sequence of events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSARS-CoV-2 within-host population expansion, diversification and adaptation in zoo tigers, lions and hyenas.
bioRxiv
October 2024
Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University.
SARS-CoV-2 rapidly adapts to new hosts following cross-species transmission; this is highly relevant as novel within-host variants have emerged following infection of susceptible wild and domestic animal species. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 transmission from animals (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmyloid-Beta, Tau, and Microglial Activation in Aged Felid Brains.
J Comp Neurol
November 2024
Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its associated pathology have been primarily identified in humans, who have relatively large brains and long lifespans. To expand what is known about aging and neurodegeneration across mammalian species, we characterized amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau lesions in five species of aged felids (n = 9; cheetah, clouded leopard, African lion, serval, Siberian tiger). We performed immunohistochemistry to detect Aβ40 and Aβ42 in plaques and vessels and hyperphosphorylated tau in the temporal lobe gyrus sylvius and in the CA1 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDistribution and habitat use patterns of the endangered Central American clouded oncilla (Leopardus pardinoides oncilla) in Costa Rica.
PLoS One
September 2024
Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative, São Luís, Brazil.
Montane cloud forests are highly threatened ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change. These complex habitats harbor many species that suffer the negative consequences of this global phenomenon, such as shifts in their distribution and habitat use. The Central American clouded oncilla (Leopardus pardinoides oncilla) is the smallest and most endangered wild cat in Mesoamerica and is primarily reported in cloud forests throughout its distribution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!