The fusogenic tilted peptide (67-78) of α-synuclein is a cholesterol binding domain

► α-Synuclein interacts with lipid rafts. ► α-Synuclein displays two cholesterol-binding domains. ► A CRAC domain binds cholesterol with low affinity. ► A tilted peptide binds cholesterol with high affinity. ► α-Synuclein interacts with lipid rafts through a virus-like mechanism.