Cyanovirin-N

**Semantic type:** Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A protein isolated from the cyanobacterium Nostoc ellipsosporum with activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cyanovirin-N binds to the sugar moieties on the HIV particle and impairs the binding of virion-associated gp120 to cell-associated CD4 on mucosal surfaces and impedes membrane fusion.