Peptide entry inhibitors of enveloped viruses: the importance of interfacial hydrophobicity.

ABSTRACT: There are many peptides known that inhibit the entry of enveloped viruses into cells, including one peptide that is successfully being used in the clinic as a drug. In this review, we discuss the discovery, antiviral activity and mechanism of action of such peptides. While peptide entry inhibitors have been discovered by a wide variety of approaches (structure-based, accidental, intentional, rational and brute force) we show here that they share a common physical chemical property: they are at least somewhat hydrophobic and/or amphipathic and have a propensity to interact with membrane interfaces. We propose that this propensity drives a shared mechanism of action for many peptide entry inhibitors, involving direct interactions with viral and cellular membranes, as well as interactions wit

SUBMITTER: Badani H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7094693 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature