Membrane fusion-inhibiting peptides do not inhibit influenza virus fusion or the Ca(2+)-induced fusion of negatively charged vesicles

Bending membranes to the task: structural intermediates in bilayer fusion

Merger of lipid bilayers plays a central role in diverse biological fusion reactions. Recent studies suggest that different membrane fusion systems, including fusion of purely lipid bilayers, involve formation of similar stalk-type intermediates--highly bent (net negative curvature) and transient lipidic connections between fusing membranes.