A new computer simulation has allowed scientists to break apart the Zika virus and learn how it comes together. The findings, published in the journal Nature, could help researchers develop new drugs to fight the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes and can cause serious birth defects.

The simulation, developed by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is the first to show the complete assembly process of the Zika virus. The team used a supercomputer to model the interactions of the virus's proteins and RNA.

The simulation revealed that the Zika virus assembles in a stepwise process, starting with the formation of a small nucleus that then grows by adding more proteins and RNA. The researchers were able to identify the key proteins involved in each step of the assembly process.

"This is a major breakthrough in our understanding of the Zika virus," said Dr. Michael Rossmann, a professor of biochemistry at UCSF and lead author of the study. "By knowing how the virus comes together, we can now start to design drugs to block its assembly."

The Zika virus is a member of the flavivirus family, which also includes the yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile viruses. Zika virus infection is usually mild, but it can cause serious birth defects, including microcephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is abnormally small.

The Zika virus is spread by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, which are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The virus was first identified in 2015 in Brazil, and it has since spread to more than 60 countries.

There are no specific treatments for Zika infection, but researchers are working to develop drugs and vaccines. The computer simulation developed by the UCSF team could help to accelerate these efforts.

"Our simulation provides a roadmap for the development of new drugs to fight the Zika virus," said Dr. Rossmann. "We can now target the key proteins involved in the assembly process and prevent the virus from replicating."