German scientists
discover new HIV weakness

German researchers say they've discovered a key peptide that prevents HIV from assembling its protective outer coating, which leaves the virus incapable of latching onto and infecting other immune system cells, Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports. The peptide was completely effective in lab tests at preventing HIV from assembling its outer membrane, but it cannot be used in its present form as an anti-HIV drug or vaccine because of difficulties in getting the peptide into HIV-infected immune system cells in the body. However, scientists hope to use their discovery as the foundation for research into new drugs that will affect the virus's ability to form its outer membrane. Their full study appears in the online edition of the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology.