Schmidt, Aaron G.Yang, Priscilla L.Harrison, Stephen C.2019-10-132010Schmidt, A. G., P. L. Yang, and S. C. Harrison. 2010. “Peptide Inhibitors of Flavivirus Entry Derived from the E Protein Stem.” Journal of Virology 84 (24): 12549–54. doi:10.1128/JVI.01440-10.0022-538X1070-63211098-5514http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41542784Peptides derived from the "stem" of dengue virus (DV) type 2 (DV2) envelope (E) protein inhibit DV2 infectivity, targeting a late-stage fusion intermediate. We show here that stem peptides from all DV serotypes cross-inhibit DV1 to DV4 but that corresponding peptides derived from related flaviviruses do not. This failure to inhibit infection is not due to poor interaction with the E protein but rather to loss of association with the virion membrane. Residues 442 to 444 of the stem are determinants of inhibition; increasing hydrophobicity in this region increases inhibitory strength. These results support a two-step model of how stem-derived peptides inhibit viral entry.en-USJournal Article2019-10-1310.1128/JVI.01440-10