Zika virus polyprotein (ZIKV polyprotein)

Zika virus antigens are the structural and non-structural proteins derived from the Zika virus polyprotein (UniProt: P0DQ11). The structural proteins—Capsid (C), Pre-membrane (prM), and Envelope (E)—facilitate virion assembly and host cell entry, with the E protein being the primary target for neutralizing antibodies (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2017). The non-structural proteins (NS1 to NS5) are essential for viral replication and immune evasion; specifically, NS3 acts as a protease and helicase, while NS5 functions as the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Journal of Virology, 2016). Therapeutic efforts focus on inhibiting these viral enzymes or neutralizing the E protein to prevent Zika virus infection and its associated complications, such as congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome (The Lancet, 2016). Current research includes the development of vaccines targeting the prM-E proteins and small-molecule inhibitors like Sofosbuvir that target the NS5 polymerase (Nature, 2017).

Other names

Zika virus antigensZIKV proteinsZika virus envelope proteinZika virus NS1 proteinZika virus NS5 protein

Inhibition of NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, inhibition of NS2B-NS3 protease complex, and neutralization of the Envelope (E) protein to block viral attachment and fusion.