The genetic evolution of Zika virus

(Cell Press) An analysis comparing the individual differences between over 40 strains of Zika virus has identified significant changes in both amino acid and nucleotide sequences during the past half-century. The data, published in Cell Host & Microbe, support a strong divergence between the Asian and African lineages as well as human and mosquito isolates of the virus, and will likely be helpful as researchers flush out how a relatively unknown pathogen led to the current outbreak.