Tracing the Roots of Zika Virus

Zika virus wreaked havoc in 2015 when it spread like wildfire in parts of South America, causing microcephaly in babies born to infected mothers, neurological disorders, and poor pregnancy. Though discovered in 1947, no vaccine is yet available against Zika. Now, a collaboration of Indo-American researchers from the Indian Institute of Science and University of California, have unearthed the protein evolution of the genes of Zika virus which may throw some light on how the virus evolves and adapts to new environments. This study, the researchers claim, could also provide important leads to the development of vaccines against the disease.