Membrane-anchored HIV-1 N-heptad repeat peptides are highly potent cell fusion inhibitors via an altered mode of action.
Peptide inhibitors derived from HIV-gp41 envelope protein play a pivotal role in deciphering the molecular mechanism of HIV-cell fusion.According to accepted models, N-heptad repeat (NHR) peptides can bind two targets in an intermediate fusion conformation, thereby inhibiting progression of the fusion process.In both cases the orientation towards t