Biomolecular Modelling Group investigates membrane binding of influenza virus fusion peptides
15 04 2025
Category: Main page, Research highlights, Science news
Dr. Piotr Setny, head of Biomolecular Modelling Group at the Centre of New Technologies, in collaboration with researchers from the Nencki Institute, has published a new paper entitled “Integrating Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Investigate Membrane Binding of Influenza Virus Fusion Peptides” in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. It presents a novel approach that combines cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to pinpoint the positioning of viral fusion peptides within lipid membranes. By generating synthetic cryo-EM images based on MD trajectories, the team was able to interpret experimental data and gain insights into peptides binding that would otherwise remain undetectable. The study reveals a preference for transmembrane peptides location in pure POPC membranes and a shift to surface-bound configurations in the presence of cholesterol. All cryo-EM images were acquired at CeNT Cryomicroscopy and Electron Diffraction Core Facility.
Piotr Setny, Paulina Borkowska, Remigiusz Worch, “Integrating Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Investigate Membrane Binding of Influenza Virus Fusion Peptides”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c18441.