Structural biology of Zika virus and other flaviviruses

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2018 Jan;25(1):13-20. doi: 10.1038/s41594-017-0010-8. Epub 2018 Jan 8.

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an enveloped, icosahedral flavivirus that has structural and functional similarities to other human flavivirus pathogens such as dengue (DENV), West Nile (WNV) and Japanese encephalitis (JEV) viruses. ZIKV infections have been linked to fetal microcephaly and the paralytic Guillain-Barré syndrome. This review provides a comparative structural analysis of the assembly, maturation and host-cell entry of ZIKV with other flaviviruses, especially DENV. We also discuss the mechanisms of neutralization by antibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Dengue Virus / chemistry
  • Dengue Virus / physiology
  • Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / chemistry
  • Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / physiology
  • Female
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / virology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microcephaly / virology
  • Models, Biological
  • Pregnancy
  • Protein Conformation
  • United States
  • Virus Assembly*
  • Virus Internalization*
  • West Nile virus / chemistry
  • West Nile virus / physiology
  • Zika Virus / chemistry*
  • Zika Virus / physiology*
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral