An Evolutionary Insight into Zika Virus Strains Isolated in the Latin American Region

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging pathogen member of the Flaviviridae family. ZIKV has spread rapidly in the Latin American region, causing hundreds of thousands of cases of ZIKV disease, as well as microcephaly in congenital infections. Detailed studies on the pattern of evolution of ZIKV strains have been extremely important to our understanding of viral survival, fitness, and evasion of the host’s immune system. For these reasons, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of ZIKV strains recently isolated in the Americas. The results of these studies revealed evidence of diversification of ZIKV strains circulating in the Latin American region into at least five different genetic clusters. This diversification was also reflected in the different trends in dinucleotide bias and codon usage variation. Amino acid substitutions were found in E and prM proteins of the ZIKV strains isolated in this region, revealing the presence of novel genetic variants circulating in Latin America.

Codelivery of improved immune complex and virus-like particle vaccines containing Zika virus envelope domain III synergistically enhances immunogenicity

“…Reemergence of Zika infection remains a significant health threat worldwide, necessitating safe, affordable, and effective vaccine strategies that can especially protect pregnant women and fetuses. Subunit vaccines targeting ZE3 are promising candidates as ZE3 is highly conserved among ZIKV strains [37] and ZE3specific antibodies have been shown to be highly potent in neutralizing a diversity of ZIKV strains in the African, Asian and American lineages [16]. However, the weak immunogenicity of ZE3 must be overcome.…”

The Rescue and Characterization of Recombinant, Microcephaly-Associated Zika Viruses as Single-Round Infectious Particles

“…NS5 consists of an N-terminal methyltransferase (NS5 MTase) and C-terminal RNA polymerase (NS5RdRp). Phylogenetic analysis of ZIKV African and Asian-lineage strains isolated from 1947 to 2017 indicates that some mutations accumulated in the epidemic ZIKV Asian strains in 2015–2016 [8,9]. Epidemic ZIKV Asian strains contain 75 amino acid substitutions compared with their African lineage strains, five of which are located in C, nine in prM, 10 in E, four in NS1, five in NS2A, two in NS2B, nine in NS3, one in NS4A, nine in NS4B, and 21 in NS5 [8,9].…”

“…Phylogenetic analysis of ZIKV African and Asian-lineage strains isolated from 1947 to 2017 indicates that some mutations accumulated in the epidemic ZIKV Asian strains in 2015–2016 [8,9]. Epidemic ZIKV Asian strains contain 75 amino acid substitutions compared with their African lineage strains, five of which are located in C, nine in prM, 10 in E, four in NS1, five in NS2A, two in NS2B, nine in NS3, one in NS4A, nine in NS4B, and 21 in NS5 [8,9]. The serine-to-asparagine substitution (Ser 139 →Asn 139 (S139N0) in prM increases ZIKV infectivity in neural progenitor cells and the severity of fetal microcephaly in a mouse model [10].…”

“…The alanine-to-valine substitution (A 984 →V 984 [A984V]) in NS1 induces the inhibition of interferon-β production and leads to viral immune escape [11]. In addition, comparison between pre-epidemic and epidemic ZIKV Asian strains indicated 24 amino acid substitutions within prM (2), E (3), NS2A (1), NS3 (3), NS4B (7), and NS5 (8), such as T773M in E, Y2082H in NS3, L2451S in NS4B, and T2630V in NS5 [8,9]. The mutations in epidemic ZIKV Asian strains in comparison with pre-epidemic Asian and African strains might be determinants for their unique features; considering the increase in virulence and persistent infection, these mutations are worth understandingly thoroughly.…”

New Advances on Zika Virus Research

“…The fifth section in the Special Issue covers the new advances in epidemiology and virus evolution, including a manuscript describing the evolutionary insight of ZIKV strains isolated in Latin America (Simón et al [21]).…”