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Characteristics of Zika:

The Zika virus is part of the family Flaviridae; it is a Flavivirus.

Under the Baltimore Classification of Viruses, it is classified under

“Group IV”. These viruses are distinguished by their positive-sense

single-stranded viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) ("ViralZone: Zika virus

(strain Mr 766)", 2016). Positive-sense RNA is able to directly access

free ribosomes in the cytosol opposed to negative-sense RNA, which

must be converted into positive-sense RNA first. which can be directly

accessed by cytoplasm ribosomes to form polyprotein products

(Goldman & Green, 2015). The Zika virion is spherical and 50nm in

diameter, studded with envelope (E) glycoprotein dimers ("ViralZone:Zika virus (strain Mr 766)", 2016).

Zika is able to enter a cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Its viral envelope glycoproteins may bind to a number of cell receptor

proteins such as AXL, Tyro3 and TIM-1, which are present on cells such

as epidermal keratinocytes and fibroblasts (Hamel et al., 2015). This

process is followed by the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles which

bring the virus into the cell for digestion (McMahon & Boucrot, 2016). To

prevent its degradation, the virion fuses with the endosomal membrane,

allowing the release of viral RNA into the cytoplasm (Smit, Moesker,

Rodenhuis-Zybert & Wilschut, 2011). Once this occurs, the RNA of the

virus is able to directly attach to and utilise a free ribosome in the

cytoplasm and translate its viral genetic information into viral proteins,

which are released from the cell via induced autophagy when the virus

interacts with the endoplasmic reticulum (Hamel et al., 2015). In this way,

Zika is able to readily cause disease and infect cells of its host organism.Zika viruses can be cultured in the laboratory with Vero cells; they

have been successfully cultured in kidney epithelial cells extracted from

an African green monkey which are susceptible to viral infection ("Virus

Collection: 1308258v Zika virus", 2016). The survival of Zika entirely

depends on the state of the Vero cells; as long as the cells are alive, the

virus can infect and replicate. The cells must be cultured at 37 degrees

Celsius, in a culture of Harry Eagle’s Minimal Essential Medium,

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combined with 2 nanomols of glutamine and 10% foetal bovine serum

(Ammerman, Beier-Sexton & Azad, 2008).

References

Ammerman, N., Beier-Sexton, M., & Azad, A. (2008). Growth and Maintenance of ero !e""

#ine$.Current Protocols In Microbiology .

htt%''dx.doi.or'0.002'*+80++2*2*.mca0e$  

!han, ., !hoi, G., /i%, !., !hen, ., & /en, 1. (20). 3i4a fe5er and conenita" 3i4a

$6ndrome An nex%ected emerin ar7o5ira" di$ea$e. Journal Of Infection.

htt%''dx.doi.or'0.0'.inf.20.02.0  

General Cell Collection: 84113001 Vero. (20). Pheculturecollections!org!u" . 9etrie5ed

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Virus Collection: 1308%8' &i"a 'irus. (20). Pheculturecollections!org!u" . 9etrie5ed 2

A%ri" 20, from htt%$''www.%he-

c"treco""ection$.or.4'%rodct$'5ir$e$'detai".$%:

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