HIV envelope glycoprotein 41 (gp41)

HIV envelope glycoprotein 41 (gp41) is an integral membrane subunit of the HIV viral envelope protein complex, formed by cleavage of gp160 into gp120 and gp41. Gp41 is essential for viral entry: after gp120 binds to CD4 and co-receptor on the host cell, conformational changes trigger gp41 to refold into a six-helix bundle, ultimately driving the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. The protein consists of several functional regions: a fusion peptide, heptad repeats (HR1 and HR2), membrane-proximal external region (MPER), transmembrane domain, and cytoplasmic tail[1][4][5][6]. The MPER is a critical target for broadly neutralizing antibodies and fusion inhibitors, making gp41 an important therapeutic target and vaccine antigen for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment[1][5][7][8].

Other names

HIV-1 glycoprotein 41glycoprotein 41HIV gp41Env gp41

Inhibitors block the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle, preventing viral and cellular membrane fusion; some drugs target the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) to block conformational changes essential for fusion[7][8].