Figure 1. Experimental design to study effects of lipid phase boundaries on HIV gp41-mediated membrane fusion.

Schematic representation of HIV gp41 interaction with Lo/Ld domain phase boundary. The fusion peptide of gp41 preferentially inserts and promotes membrane fusion at the interface between Lo and Ld phases. To address what molecular and physical properties are responsible for membrane fusion at these boundaries, we systematically modulated the interfaces by changing components of the Lo domains, modifying hydrophobic mismatch and introducing line-active molecules.