Lipid bilayer envelope of enveloped viruses

The lipid bilayer envelope of enveloped viruses is a host-derived membrane that surrounds the nucleocapsid of numerous significant human pathogens, including HIV-1, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 [Source: NIH/NCBI]. This envelope is typically acquired during the viral budding process from host cell membranes, such as the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, or Golgi apparatus [Source: Wikipedia]. Its primary biological function is to protect the viral genome and provide a scaffold for viral glycoproteins that facilitate attachment and entry into host cells [Source: PubMed]. Because the envelope is essential for the infectivity of these viruses, it serves as a critical therapeutic target for antiviral agents [Source: Nature Communications]. Drugs like docosanol work by inhibiting the fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell membrane, thereby preventing infection [Source: PubChem]. Other experimental compounds, such as LJ001, target the lipid bilayer directly by inducing oxidative damage that compromises the membrane's ability to undergo fusion [Source: PNAS]. A major challenge in targeting the viral envelope is ensuring selectivity to avoid damaging host cell membranes, which share a similar phospholipid composition [Source: Frontiers in Microbiology].

Other names

Viral lipid envelopeViral envelopeLipid bilayer envelopeViral membraneEnveloped virus membrane

Inhibition of viral-host membrane fusion and physical disruption of the lipid bilayer integrity.