'1,000 heartbeats per minute': How flying shields bats from deadly viruses
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Researchers studying bat genomes suggest that the evolution of flight may have also led to immune adaptations that help bats tolerate viral infections without severe illness.
A study analysing 20 bat genomes, including species known to carry coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV-2, found that bats have a unique set of immune genes shaped by natural selection.
Unlike other mammals, bats serve as reservoirs for viruses such as rabies, Ebola, and SARS-related coronaviruses without experiencing severe immune responses, making them a focus of immunological research.
Bats experience heart rates of up to 1,000 beats per minute during flight, producing inflammatory byproducts. Researchers suggest that bats evolved immune adaptations to manage this stress, which may also help them tolerate viral infections.
Many immune-related genetic changes were found across different bat species, indicating that these adaptations likely emerged in a common ancestor when powered flight evolved.
Some bat species carry modifications in immune-related genes, including ISG, which may help them regulate coronaviruses. Understanding these mechanisms could aid in developing treatments to manage human immune responses.
Scientists aim to further investigate these immune adaptations to determine their role in virus resistance, with the goal of identifying new approaches to controlling inflammation in humans.
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