Fig. 1.

ZIKV infection induces remodeling of the ER structure. ZIKV exploits the ER dynamic characteristic and remodels the ER structure to generate virus-induced structures, vesicles (Ve), vesicle packet (VP), convoluted membrane (CM) and zippered ER (zER), for the benefit of virus replication. Blue and green box depicts schematic representation of host and viral factors involved in vesicle and virus particle (Vi) formation, respectively. ZIKV NS4A utilizes the host reticulon 3.1A (RTN3.1A) to facilitate membrane curvature during vesicle invagination into the ER lumen (blue box). Viral genome replication takes place within this vesicle. Neosynthesized viral RNA genome is released into the cytosol and could undergo either translation, virus particle assembly, or another round of genome replication. Virus particle assembly takes place in apposed ER leaflet. Separate ZIKV NS2A independently recruits viral genome RNA, NS2B-NS3, and unprocessed C-prM-Env complexes, and subsequently congregates at the virus particle assembly site through NS2A oligomerization (green box). Once assembled, NS2B-NS3 proteolytical activity cleaves the recruited C-prM-Env complex to generate individual capsid, prM and Env protein. Cleaved capsid protein interacts with capsid-dense lipid droplets and viral RNA to generate nucleocapsid core followed by Env and prM proteins encapsulation of the nucleocapsid core