The role of the envelope protein in the stability of a coronavirus model membrane against an ethanolic disinfectant

Ethanol is highly effective against various enveloped viruses and can disable the virus by disintegrating protective envelope surrounding it. The interactions between coronavirus (E) protein its membrane environment play key roles in stability function of viral envelope. By using molecular dynamics simulation, we explore underlying mechanism ethanol-induced disruption a model and, detail, E-protein lipids. We bilayer as N-palmitoyl-sphingomyelin 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine lipids E-protein. study reveals that ethanol causes an increase lateral area along with thinning orientational disordering lipid tails. resides at head–tail region enhances permeability. found envelope-protein-mediated ordering Our simulations also provide important insights into orientation environment. At ∼25 mol. % ethanol–water phase, observe disintegration dislocation from