title: The 3.8 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of Zika virus.
abstract: The recent rapid spread of Zika virus and its unexpected linkage to birth defects and an autoimmune neurological syndrome have generated worldwide concern. Zika virus is a flavivirus like the dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile viruses. We present the 3.8 angstrom resolution structure of mature Zika virus, determined by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The structure of Zika virus is similar to other known flavivirus structures, except for the ~10 amino acids that surround the Asn(154) glycosylation site in each of the 180 envelope glycoproteins that make up the icosahedral shell. The carbohydrate moiety associated with this residue, which is recognizable in the cryo-EM electron density, may function as an attachment site of the virus to host cells. This region varies not only among Zika virus strains but also in other flaviviruses, which suggests that differences in this region may influence virus transmission and disease.
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Devika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sirohi
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Zhenguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klose
authors.affiliation: Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Theodore C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Pierson
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rossmann
authors.affiliation: Markey Center for Structural Biology and Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins