Discovery Program for Zika Virus Targets

Creative Biostructure has established an innovative Zika virus targeted discovery platform to provide comprehensive products and services to accelerate your research for novel antibody discovery and structural/functional studies.

What is Zika Virus (ZIKV)?

• A single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family and the Flavivirus genus;
• Primarily transmitted by the Aedes mosquito (e.g. A. aegypti and A. albopictus);
• ZIKV infection often causes no or only mild symptoms;
• ZIKV spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus can result in microcephaly and other severe brain defects.

ZIKV Proteins
It is reported that ZIKV E protein contains a unique positively charged patch to influence host attachment, and the Zika NS4A and NS4B proteins involve the microcephaly. The latest structural study of ZIKV NS5 methyltransferase (MTase) has shed light on the structure-based drug discovery against ZIKV. Mutations in NS5-MTase result in defects in N7 methylation that is lethal in flaviviruses, making NS5-MTase an attractive target to block cap formation.

Flavivirus Proteome and Potential Difference of Zika Virus

Figure 1. Understanding Zika Virus Structure and Replication

Zika Virus Products

Structure Determination Services for Zika Proteins
Using our advanced Native Protein Purification and Mempro™ Membrane Protein technologies, Creative Biostructure is able to produce high-quality Zika viral proteins for UniCrys™ Crystallization and Structure Determination. Structural studies on these proteins are extremely important to identify candidate determinants of viral pathogenesis and reveal potential drug/antibody targets for anti-ZIKV therapeutic intervention.

Zika Virus-like Particle Services
Efforts have been made in early-stage trials on the development of vaccines against ZIKV, but currently there is no effective and fully licensed Zika vaccine available on the market. Creative Biostructure has been devoted to the Zika virus-like particles research for years based on our comprehensive Mempro™ Virus-like Particles (VLPs) Technology, producing custom Zika virus-like particles for discovery of VLP-based vaccine.

Drugs/Antibody Discovery against Zika Virus
Creative Biostructure has an experienced team to provide leading Drug Discovery Services. Optimal strategies are applied to increase the half-life and reduce the side effects of drugs through our drug discovery process.

Figure 2. Zika Virus Envelope Protein with a Flavivirus Broadly Protective Antibody

Creative Biostructure provides a comprehensive variety of professional research services targeting Zika virus to improve human health by developing novel antibodies and vaccines in therapeutic area. Please feel free to contact us for a detailed quote.

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References:

1. B. D. Cox, et al. (2016). Predicting Zika virus structural biology: Challenges and opportunities for intervention. Antiviral Chemistry and Chemotherapy, 24(3–4): 118-126.
2. V. A. Kostyuchenko, et al. (2016). Structure of the thermally stable Zika virus. Nature, 533(7603): 425.
3. L. Dai, et al. (2016). Structures of the Zika Virus Envelope Protein and Its Complex with a Flavivirus Broadly Protective Antibody. Cell Host & Microbe, 19(5): 696-704.