Versatility of the Zinc-Finger Antiviral Protein (ZAP) As a Modulator of Viral Infections.

The zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP) is a restriction factor that proficiently impedes the replication of a variety of RNA and DNA viruses. In recent years, the affinity of ZAP's zinc-fingers for single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) rich in CpG dinucleotides was uncovered. High frequencies of CpGs in RNA may suggest a non-self origin, which underscores the importance of ZAP as a potential cellular sensor of (viral) RNA.

The significance of mosquito saliva in arbovirus transmission and pathogenesis in the vertebrate host.

Due to changes in climate, numerous mosquito species are continuously extending their geographical distributions, posing potential new public health threats as arbovirus infections emerge in these new areas. During probing and feeding on the vertebrate host, a mosquito can inject both arbovirus and saliva into the skin of the host. The presence of mosquito saliva in the host skin during arbovirus transmission contributes to high viral titers in the skin, enhanced viremia, and rapid dissemination of the virus to target organs.

The dinucleotide composition of the Zika virus genome is shaped by conflicting evolutionary pressures in mammalian hosts and mosquito vectors.

Most vertebrate RNA viruses show pervasive suppression of CpG and UpA dinucleotides, closely resembling the dinucleotide composition of host cell transcriptomes. In contrast, CpG suppression is absent in both invertebrate mRNA and RNA viruses that exclusively infect arthropods. Arthropod-borne (arbo) viruses are transmitted between vertebrate hosts by invertebrate vectors and thus encounter potentially conflicting evolutionary pressures in the different cytoplasmic environments.