Peptide inhibition of human cytomegalovirus infection

Melnik, Lilia I; Garry, Robert F; Morris, Cindy A

In addition to screening synthetic peptides for their ability to inhibit HCMV infection alone, we tested some peptides in combination. It is possible that peptides 264-291 and 297-315 block HCMV entry at distinct steps in the fusion process. Any two peptides that work additively to block the fusion of the virion with the host cell membrane must have unique amino acid sequences, biophysical properties and be present at certain concentrations that will allow them to interact with each other, with gB and, possibly, with other glycoproteins that are instrumental in the fusion event. Peptides 174-200 and 233-263 tested together showed only 42% inhibition at the concentration of 50 μM each (Figure 7) , and did not work in an additive fashion. This result may be due to peptide-peptide interactions that do not allow interference with gB trimer formation and with necessary conformational changes of the virion required for successful fusion to occur.