The functional prediction of transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)
in priming S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 among vertebrates
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the outbreak has
rapidly spread worldwide causing a global severe pneumonia pandemic.
Several animals have been proven to be affected by the SARS-CoV-2,
posing an enormous threat to humans. However, to confirm the
intermediate hosts in the epidemic regions, it is unrealistic to detect
its presence in each and every animal one by one. An active
transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) which functions in priming of
S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the most important prerequisites for
an animal to be an intermediate host, but the utilizing capability of
TMPRSS2 for non-human animals is largely unknown. Here, we
systematically predicted the ability of TMPRSS2 to prime S-protein of
SARS-CoV-2 in 164 vertebrates by analyzing the phylogenetic clustering
and possible functional changes induced by amino acid variation in
TMPRSS2. Mammals were predicted to be the most likely animals to
effectively use the TMPRSS2 for priming S-protein of SARS-CoV-2.
Especially, we predicted the possible effective utilizing ability of
TMPRSS2 in rats and pigs, which are reported non-susceptible to
SARS-CoV-2. Given the wide distribution and the close relationships
among human, pig and rat, a periodic and careful monitoring is required
for pigs and rats to prevent the possible SARS-CoV-2 transmission to
human.