title: Membrane-active peptides derived from picornavirus 2B viroporin.
abstract: Viruses have evolved membrane-restructuring mechanisms for sustaining entry into cells, genome replication and release from host cells. Picornavirus 2B, a non-structural protein required for effective viral replication, functions as a potent intracellular pore-forming toxin by altering the permeability of cellular endomembranes. Two consecutive hydrophobic regions have been identified in 2B protein that could function as an "α-helix-turn-α-helix" hairpin membrane-anchor. A peptide derived from the first transmembrane domain comprised a "one-helix" 2B version that possesses the intrinsic pore-forming activity required to directly and effectively permeabilize the cell plasma membrane. Moreover, this miniaturized form is capable of translocating through the plasma membrane of culture cells and to target mitochondria. These evidences suggest that viroporins constitute a new source of membrane-active sequences, worth exploring as potential leads for the development of bioactive peptides, and/or as targets for the development of antiviral compounds.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biofisica (CSICUPV/ EHU), Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Martínez
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Madan
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Nieva
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D006224:Cricetinae; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000737:chemistry*; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins