Envelope protein structure of Zika virus - A target for vaccine development and therapeutics

Zika Virus (ZV) epidemic is expanding from Brazil to America and is of immense public health concern as ZV infection is resulting in physical as well as mental health issues especially among the pregnant women of the endemic area. ZV infection causes neurological complications in adults and Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) in infected fetuses. Understanding of ZV structure is the key to identify the effective targets for prospective advancements in the vaccine and therapeutics development. The envelope (E) protein is the major component of the outermost icosahedral shell of the ZV having epitopes for the production of neutralizing antibodies by the host immune system. ZV E-protein specific immunoglobulins (IgG) develop in serum in response of these epitopes injected in the host as live-attenuated, mRNA vaccine and the DNA vaccine. On the other hand, the nonstructural proteins as NS2B, NS3 and NS5 can potentially be inhibited and used as therapeutic targets. Here the ZV structure in general and E protein structure in particular have been reviewed in view of potential vaccine and therapeutic targets