Peptides for gene delivery
View Patent ↗Compositions and methods are described for nucleic acid formulation for gene delivery. A new class of low molecular weight condensing agents, namely aromatic amino acid—containing peptides, are described for use in receptor-mediated and nonreceptor-mediated gene delivery, both in vivo and in vitro.
1. A tryptophan-containing peptide of less than forty amino acids in length that binds to nucleic acid, wherein said peptide comprises tryptophan, a cysteine and a lysine repeat from between 3 and 36 residues.
2. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 13–18 lysine residues.
3. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide is less than thirty amino acids in length.
4. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide is bound to nucleic acid encoding one or more gene products to make a complex.
5. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said Cys is an N-terminal cysteine that is alkylated.
6. The peptide of claim 3 , wherein said peptide is less than twenty amino acids in length.
7. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 13 lysine residues.
8. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 18 lysine residues.
9. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 16 lysine residues.
10. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 26 lysine residues.
11. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises 36 lysine residues.
12. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide comprises two tryptophan residues.
13. The peptide of claim 4 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a viral source.
14. The peptide of claim 4 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a bacterial source.
15. The peptide of claim 4 , wherein said nucleic acid is from an animal source.
16. The peptide of claim 4 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a plant source.
17. A method comprising:
a) providing: i) nucleic acid encoding one or more gene products; ii) a tryptophan—containing peptide of less than forty amino acids in length that binds to said nucleic acid, wherein said peptide comprises tryptophan, a cysteine and a lysine repeat from between 3 and 36 residues; and iii) a cell having a cell membrane;
b) binding said tryptophan—containing peptide to said nucleic acid to make a complex;
c) introducing said complex to said cell under conditions such that said complex is delivered across said cell membrane.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 13–18 lysine residues.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 13 lysine residues.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 18 lysine residues.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 16 lysine residues.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 26 lysine residues.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises 36 lysine residues.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide comprises two tryptophan residues.
25. The method of claim 17 , wherein said peptide is less than thirty amino acids in length.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said peptide is less than twenty amino acids in length.
27. The method of claim 17 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a viral source.
28. The method of claim 17 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a bacterial source.
29. The method of claim 17 , wherein said nucleic acid is from an animal source.
30. The method of claim 17 , wherein said nucleic acid is from a plant source.