Comparative genomics provides insights into chromosomal evolution and immunological adaptation in horseshoe bats.

Publication date: Feb 07, 2025

Horseshoe bats are natural hosts of zoonotic viruses, yet the genetic basis of their antiviral immunity is poorly understood. Here we generated two new chromosomal-level genome assemblies for horseshoe bat species (Rhinolophus) and three close relatives, and show that, during their diversification, horseshoe bats underwent extensive chromosomal rearrangements and gene expansions linked to segmental duplications. These expansions have generated new adaptive variations in type I interferons and the interferon-stimulated gene ANXA2R, which potentially enhance antiviral states, as suggested by our functional assays. Genome-wide selection screens, including of candidate introgressed regions, uncover numerous putative molecular adaptations linked to immunity, including in viral receptors. By expanding taxon coverage to ten horseshoe bat species, we identify new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2, and report convergent functionally important residues that could explain wider patterns of susceptibility across mammals. We conclude that horseshoe bats have numerous signatures of adaptation, including some potentially related to immune response to viruses, in genomic regions with diverse and multiscale mutational changes.

Concepts Keywords
Antiviral Adaptation
Bat Antiviral
Genetic Bat
Rhinolophus Bats
Viral Chromosomal
Expansions
Generated
Genome
Horseshoe
Immunity
Including
Linked
Numerous
Regions
Viruses

Semantics

Type Source Name
drug DRUGBANK Pentaerythritol tetranitrate
disease IDO susceptibility

Original Article

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