HIV TAT Forms Pores in Membranes by Inducing Saddle‐Splay Curvature: Potential Role of Bidentate Hydrogen Bonding

Pore performance: The TAT protein of HIV can cross cell membranes with remarkable efficiency. By applying ideas from coordination chemistry, soft-condensed-matter physics, and differential geometry, it has been shown that TAT induces saddle-splay curvature in cell membranes, a process that is required for pore formation (see picture of two nonintersecting networks of pores). The results have potential implications for the design of cell-penetrating peptides. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http: //www. wiley-vch. de/contents/jc₂002/2008/z704444ₛ. html or from the author. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.