Single-Virus Observation of pH-Triggered Zika Fusion in the Absence of a Cellular Receptor

Zika virus is a membrane-enveloped flavivirus which has garnered international attention as an emerging pathogen with causal links to birth defects and neurological sequelae following infection. Because Zika virus has only recently been the subject of intense scientific study, little is known about the entry of Zika virus into host cells. From limited studies and by drawing parallels to closely-related flaviviruses, Zika virus is presumed to first bind to a (as yet unknown) receptor on the cell surface, and then become internalized by endocytosis.