Lipid envelopes of enveloped viruses and bacterial cytoplasmic membranes

The lipid envelopes of enveloped viruses and the cytoplasmic membranes of bacteria are essential phospholipid bilayers that serve as the primary physical barrier between the pathogen's internal components and the external environment. In bacteria, the cytoplasmic membrane is a highly dynamic structure responsible for energy production via the electron transport chain, nutrient uptake, and the synthesis of cell wall components (StatPearls: NBK542180). For enveloped viruses, the lipid bilayer is typically acquired from host cell membranes during budding and is crucial for protecting the viral nucleocapsid and mediating entry into new host cells through membrane fusion (PNAS: 10.1073/pnas.0913010107). Because these membranes are vital for pathogen survival and infectivity, they serve as important targets for antimicrobial and antiviral therapy. Drugs like daptomycin and polymyxins act by binding to and disrupting the bacterial membrane, leading to ion leakage and cell death (PubChem: CID 16129629). Similarly, certain broad-spectrum antiviral agents target the viral envelope to inhibit the fusion process, thereby neutralizing the virus before it can infect a host cell (PubMed: 20124305).

Other names

Viral lipid envelopeBacterial cytoplasmic membraneBacterial inner membranePathogen lipid bilayerViral envelope

Membrane disruption, pore formation, depolarization of the membrane potential, and inhibition of membrane fusion.