Boffins attempt to unlock Zika secrets

QUEENSLAND researchers have synthetically recreated the mosquito-borne Zika virus in the laboratory, a breakthrough which is expected to shed light on why the infection causes foetal brain defects.

The researchers synthetically reproduced Zika using a viral sequence, identified overseas, extracted from the infected brain tissue of an aborted foetus which had deformities after its mother contracted the virus.

Professor Alexander Khromykh, of the University of Queensland’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, said being able to recreate the virus in the laboratory allowed the scientists to study Zika without the need to import it.

He said the researchers, including colleagues at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, showed the synthesised virus had “all the stereotypic properties of the natural virus”.

Zika has been in about 70 countries. reported