BBC Knowledge Asia Edition 3

A team from Purdue University has used

high-resolution cryo-electron

microscopes to piece together a

detailed image of the Zika

virus’s molecular

structure.

Zika is a type of

flavivirus, a close

relative of yellow fever

and West Nile fever,

which is spread by

a species of

tropical mosquito.

Those infected

typically experience

mild symptoms such

as skin rashes and

joint pain that clear

up within 10 days.

However, growing

evidence suggests that

the virus maybe linked with

microcephaly, a birth defect

that causes babies to have

unusually small heads and stunted

brain development.

In April last year, an outbreak of the virus

began in northeastern Brazil. The virus has

since spread to other areas of Central and

South America, and to the Caribbean.

“The structure of the virus provides a map

that shows potential regions of the virus that

could be targeted by a therapeutic treatment,

used to create an effective vaccine or to

improve our ability to diagnose

and distinguish Zika infection from

that of other related viruses,” said

researcher Richard Kuhn.

“Determining the structure greatly

advances our understanding of

Zika, a virus about which very little

is known. It shows the most

promising areas for further testing

and research to combat infection.”

This knobbly disc is the first ever image of the structure of the Zika virus,

and has potentially paved the way for the development of a vaccine to

combat the disease.

STRUCTURE OF THE ZIKA

VIRUS MAPPED

WE COULD BUILD A

BASE ON THE

MOON BY 2022

NASA scientists have

suggested that a base capable

of housing 10 astronauts

could be built on the Moon

using existing technologies

in the next five to 10 years.

It would cost $10bn, which

is around half of the space

agency’s yearly budget, they

say.

MANTA RAYS CAN

RECOGNISE

THEMSELVES IN

THE MIRROR

Giant manta rays have joined

great apes, dolphins and

elephants in passing the

‘mirror test’. A study in Florida

found that rays presented with

mirrors wiggled their fins and

blew bubbles, suggesting that

they were able to recognise

their own reflections.

BEING IN SPACE

CAN STUNT HAIR

GROWTH

Researchers in Tokyo have

found that being in orbit

can turn on genes that

decrease hair growth in

men. They found the effect

after analysing hair follicles

from astronauts who spent

six months aboard the

International Space Station.

The effect was not seen in

women.

WHAT WE

LEARNED

THIS MONTH

PHOTO: PURDUE UNIVERSITY/KUHN AND ROSSMANN RESEARCH GROUP

ZIKA FACT BOX

Only one in five people infected with

the virus show any symptoms.

First identified in Uganda in 1947.

The virus is spread through the bite of

the Aedes mosquito, the same insect

that transmits yellow fever, dengue

fever and chikungunya.

Symptoms include fever, headache, skin

rash, red eyes, fatigue and joint pain.

MEDICINE

“ZIKA IS A

VIRUS WHICH

VERY LITTLE IS

KNOWN”

Update

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