Beluga whale and bottlenose dolphin ACE2 proteins allow cell entry mediated by spike protein from three variants of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viruses infect numerous non-human species. Spillover of SARS-CoV-2 into novel animal reservoirs may present a danger to host individuals of these species, particularly worrisome in populations already endangered or threatened by extinction. In addition, emergence in new reservoirs could pose spillback threats to humans, especially in the form of virus variants that further mutate when infecting other animal hosts. Previous work suggests beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) may be at risk owing to their formation of social groups, contact with humans, exposure to contaminated wastewater, and structure of their angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins, which SARS-CoV-2 uses as a cellular receptor. We examined marine-mammal susceptibility to virus infection by challenging 293T cells expressing beluga or dolphin ACE2 with pseudovirions bearing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Beluga and dolphin ACE2 were sufficient to allow cell entry by an early pandemic isolate (Wuhan-Hu-1) and two evolved variants (Delta B.1.617.2 and Omicron BA.1 strains). We conclude that SARS-CoV-2 poses a potential threat to marine mammal reservoirs that should be considered in surveillance efforts.