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 Eagles Minimal Essential Medium,

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

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

Zika virus (strain Mr766) (ViralZone, 2016)

References
Ammerman, N., Beier-Sexton, M., & Azad, A. (2008). Growth and Maintenance of Vero Cell
Lines.Current Protocols In Microbiology.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780471729259.mca04es11
Chan, J., Choi, G., Yip, C., Cheng, V., & Yuen, K. (2016). Zika fever and congenital Zika
syndrome: An unexpected emerging arboviral disease. Journal Of Infection.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2016.02.011
General Cell Collection: 84113001 Vero. (2016). Phe-culturecollections.org.uk. Retrieved
2 April 2016, from http://www.pheculturecollections.org.uk/products/celllines/generalcell/detail.jsp?
refId=84113001&collection=ecacc_gc
Goldman, E., & Green, L. (2015). Practical handbook of microbiology (3rd ed., p. 969).
New York: CRC Press.

Grove, J., & Marsh, M. (2011). The cell biology of receptor-mediated virus entry. J Cell
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Le Mercier, P., Hulo, C., & Masson, P. (2015). ViralZone: Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of
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McMahon, H., & Boucrot, E. (2016). Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 12 (1st ed.,
pp. 517-533). London: Nature Publishing Group. Retrieved from
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Smit, J., Moesker, B., Rodenhuis-Zybert, I., & Wilschut, J. (2011). Flavivirus Cell Entry and
Membrane Fusion. Viruses, 3(12), 160-171. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v3020160
Tetro, J. (2016). Zika and microcephaly: causation, correlation, or coincidence? (1st ed.,
pp. 167-168). New York: Elsevier B.V. Retrieved from
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April 2016, from https://www.pheculturecollections.org.uk/products/viruses/detail.jsp?
refId=1308258v&collection=ncpv