To study the mechanisms involved in membrane fusion, we visualized the fusion process of
giant liposomes in real time by optical dark-field microscopy. To induce membrane fusion …

The fusion of two stable bilayers likely proceeds through intermediates in which the
membrane acquires curvature. The insertion of peptides into the membrane will affect its …

In many cellular functions the process of membrane fusion is of vital importance. It occurs in
a highly specific and strictly controlled fashion. Proteins are likely to play a key role in the …

Publisher Summary The study of lipid polymorphism and membrane fusion in liposomal
systems has provided a useful approach to understanding the complex process of fusion in …

Membrane fusion plays a lead role in the transport of vesicles, neurotransmission,
mitochondrial dynamics, and viral infection. There are fusion proteins that catalyze and …

Conclusions The results reviewed suggest that membrane fusion in diverse biological fusion
reactions involves formation of some specific intermediates: stalks and pores. Energy of …

Membrane fusion is vital for the functioning of many cells. However, membranes show
virtually no tendency to fuse randomly. Highly specific factors, most likely membrane-bound …

A key element of membrane fusion reactions in biology is the involvement of specific fusion
proteins. In many viruses, the proteins that mediate membrane fusion usually exist as …

Fusogenic peptides belong to a class of helical amphipathic peptides characterized by a
hydrophobicity gradient along the long helical axis. According to the prevailing theory …

A synthetic, amphipathic 30-amino acid peptide with the major repeat unit Glu-Ala-Leu-Ala
(GALA) was designed to mimic the behavior of the fusogenic sequences of viral fusion …