Question

from the article: a single mutation in the prm protein of zika virus contributes to fetal microcephaly

Describe why this paper is of interes wcientists studying the Zika virus Answer

Answer 1

Zika virus disease is caused bya virus transmitted by the vector mosquito from the genus Aedes. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause infants to be born with microcephalic condition and other neuronal disorders associated with abnormal brain development. The research article on zika virus has got the attention of scientific community becaus this paper has detailed a specific mutation in the structural protein, prM encoded RNA genome was found to be the basic reason behind the infectivity of zika virus. The mutation is a simple substitution of amino acid serine to asparagine. This has substantially increased the infective nature of zika virus. Also this research work is the first scientifically validated study regarding a specific mutation that enhances the virulence of zika virus. So the interested researchers may extend this work by focussing on this specific mutation.

The zika virus was initially discovered from sentinal monkey during 1947. But it remained calm and composed untill th recent outbreak.