Features

SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV

References

Cellular receptor

ACE2

ACE2

[23], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31]

Spike-ACE2 binding affinity

10-20 fold higher than SARS-CoV

Less than SARS-CoV-2

Furin cleavage site

Prominent multi-basic furin cleavage site

Monobasic cleavage site only

Role of furin cleavage site

Expansion of viral tropism, cell-cell fusion, enhances infectivity. Also cell specific.

No prominent role found.

Reservoir host

Bat

Bat

Intermediate host

Pangolin (in all probability)

Civet cat

Surface stability

High. Upto a day or more in stainless steel and plastic.

Less than that of SARS-CoV-2

Thermostability of spike (S) glycoprotein

Low thermostability is speculated to lower energy barrier to exert conformational change of S protein

Thermostability is comparatively high.