Nature Communications (May 2020)

Zika virus noncoding RNA suppresses apoptosis and is required for virus transmission by mosquitoes

  • Andrii Slonchak,
  • Leon E. Hugo,
  • Morgan E. Freney,
  • Sonja Hall-Mendelin,
  • Alberto A. Amarilla,
  • Francisco J. Torres,
  • Yin Xiang Setoh,
  • Nias Y. G. Peng,
  • Julian D. J. Sng,
  • Roy A. Hall,
  • Andrew F. van den Hurk,
  • Gregor J. Devine,
  • Alexander A. Khromykh

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16086-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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The function on subgenomic flaviviral RNA (sfRNA) in the mosquito vector is not well understood. Here, Slonchak et al. show that sfRNA affects virus-induced apoptosis and dissemination of ZIKV in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, suggesting a role of sfRNA in Zika virus replication and transmission.