Advancements in SARS-CoV-2 Treatment and Testing Strategies.
Researchers have used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of the postfusion spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in a lipid bilayer, providing insight into the functionally critical membrane-interacting segments of the protein. The fusion peptide forms a hairpin-like wedge that spans almost the entire lipid bilayer, while the transmembrane segment wraps around the fusion peptide at the last stage of membrane fusion. These findings may guide the development of intervention strategies against the virus.