World’s first Zika virus clone developed
In a first, US-based researchers have genetically engineered a clone of the Zika virus strain, an advance that may aid the development of vaccine and therapies against the infection. Furthermore, they also engineered a luciferase reporter Zika virus which can be used to track the infection in mosquitoes. Notably, Luciferase is the chemical that causes the signature glow in fireflies.