During ZIKV the outbreak in Brazil it was observed an increase of almost 20 times the number of reported cases of microcephaly in newborn babies. There is no vaccine or approved drug available for the treatment and prevention of infections by this virus. EGCG, a polyphenol present in green tea has been shown to have […]
A previous encounter with a disease that is rampant across Latin America could leave people more vulnerable to the Zika virus. Antibodies to dengue virus, a relative of Zika, can interfere with the immune system’s response to Zika and boost the virus’s ability to replicate, according to work in two independent labs. That may help […]
Zika virus is related to dengue virus, and we report here that a category of antibodies isolated from dengue patients and targeting a conformational epitope potently neutralize Zika virus. The crystal structure of two of these antibodies in complex with the envelope protein of Zika virus reveals the details of a conserved epitope, which is […]
A high-resolution (1.89 Å) crystal structure of NS1 protein is available in Protein Data Bank . Read More
Zika virus has emerged as a pathogen of major health concern. Here, we present a high-resolution (1.62-Å) crystal structure of the RNA helicase from the French Polynesia strain. The structure is similar to that of the RNA helicase from Dengue virus, with variability in the conformations of loops typically involved in binding ATP and RNA. […]
In order to elucidate the molecular basis of this hyper-activity, and to provide a starting point for structure-based drug design efforts, we have crystallized ZIKV NS2B-NS3pro in the closed form and determined its X-ray structure at 2.7 Å resolution. Read more
A growing body of research suggests infections with the Wolbachia bacterium can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting Zika and other viruses. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues reported today (July 1) in Scientific Reports that Wolbachia can reduce the likelihood that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes will contract Zika from infected mice. And a team from […]
French drugmaker Sanofi said on Wednesday it had struck a research and development deal with the U.S. Army to speed up the development of a vaccine against the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Sanofi is the only major drugmaker working on a vaccine against Zika, which has been linked to birth defects and neurological disorders, although more […]
An outbreak of the Zika virus in the continental United States could begin any day now. But while there is plenty of discussion about mosquito bites, some researchers are beginning to worry more about the other known transmission route: sex. Intimate contact may account for more Zika infections than previously suspected, these experts say. The […]
Viral antigens were localised to glial cells and neurons and associated with microcalcifications in all three fatal cases with microcephaly. Antigens were also seen in chorionic villi of one of the first trimester placentas. Tissues from all five cases were positive for Zika virus RNA by RT-PCR, and sequence analyses showed highest identities with Zika […]
