Submited on: 24 Mar 2016 06:48:31 AM GMT
Published on: 24 Mar 2016 01:36:35 PM GMT
 

  • What are the main claims of the paper and how important are they?

    Authors identified an 85 nucleotide stem loop structure in the 3' end of Zika virus sfRNA (position (343-428) with the canonical structural and sequence characteristics of a miRNA while on comparison they found that the West Nile Virus has a miRNA in its 3’ untranslated (UTR) sfRNA region. The West Nile Virus miRNA, KUN-mir-1, was found to be 81 nucleotides in length (492-573) and 58% conserved overall as to the corresponding Zika virus stem loop nucleotide sequence.


  • Are these claims novel? If not, please specify papers that weaken the claims to the originality of this one.

    Yes as per my understanding.


  • Are the claims properly placed in the context of the previous literature?

    Yes


  • Do the results support the claims? If not, what other evidence is required?

    Yes


  • If a protocol is provided, for example for a randomized controlled trial, are there any important deviations from it? If so, have the authors explained adequately why the deviations occurred?

    Yes


  • Is the methodology valid? Does the paper offer enough details of its methodology that its experiments or its analyses could be reproduced?

    Yes


  • Would any other experiments or additional information improve the paper? How much better would the paper be if this extra work was done, and how difficult would such work be to do, or to provide?

    i don't think so at this point.


  • Is this paper outstanding in its discipline? (For example, would you like to see this work presented in a seminar at your hospital or university? Do you feel these results need to be incorporated in your next general lecture on the subject?) If yes, what makes it outstanding? If not, why not?

    May be considered for the general presentations.


  • Other Comments:

    This study is well conducted and reminds me the different molecular biology based approaches for making Dengue vaccines.

  • Competing interests:
    .
  • Invited by the author to review this article? :
    Yes
  • Have you previously published on this or a similar topic?:
    Yes
  • References:

    Optimal transactivation by Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 requires the UR1 and ATH1 domains (2009). Journal of Virology 83(9): 4227-4235.

  • Experience and credentials in the specific area of science:

    I have worked on Epstein-Barr and Dengue viruses and was engaged in producing Dengue VLPs for immunization.

  • How to cite:  Singh G .The Zika Virus sfRNA Secondary Structure Reveals a miR-147a Homologue that Targets Neurofascin as a Potential Cause of its Neurologic Syndromes[Review of the article 'The Zika Virus sfRNA Secondary Structure Reveals a miR-147a Homologue that Targets Neurofascin as a Potential Cause of its Neurologic Syndromes ' by Lyons-Weiler J].WebmedCentral 2016;7(3):WMCRW003278
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Thank you so much. We would be very interested in collaborating with you on the topic.


Responded by Dr. Robert Ricketson on 08 Apr 2016 04:16:03 PM