Stealth virus: Zika virus builds tunnels to covertly infect cells of the placenta

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Pennsylvania State University have discovered that Zika virus builds a series of tiny tubes, called tunneling nanotubes, that facilitate the transfer of viral particles to neighboring uninfected cells. The tiny conduits also provide a means to transport RNA, proteins and mitochondria, a cell’s main source of energy, from infected to neighboring cells. “Altogether, we show that Zika virus uses a tunneling strategy to covertly spread the infection in the placenta while hijacking mitochondria to augment its propagation and survival,” said Indira Mysorekar, one of the scientists involved in this study. “We propose that this strategy also protects the virus from the immune response.”