Peptides having affinity for the gp120 viral protein and use thereof
The present invention relates to a family of peptides exhibiting high affinity and specificity for the viral protein gp120, to methods for producing these peptides, and to the use of these peptides.
1. A peptide comprising the following sequence:
TPA-Asn-Leu-(Ala or Gln or His)-(Arg or Phe)-Cys-Xaa c -Xaa d -Arg-Cys-(His or Lys)-Ser-Leu-Gly-Xaa h -(Leu or Lys)-Gly-Lys-Cys-(Ala or Gln)-(Gly or (D)Asp or Ser)-(Ser or His or Asn)-Xaa j -Cys-(Thr or Ala)-Cys-Xaa k -NH 2 (SEQ ID NO: 20)
wherein TPA is thiopropionic acid;
Xaa c is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Gln and Val;
Xaa d is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Gln and Leu;
Xaa h is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Leu and Lys;
Xaa j is selected from the group consisting of β-naphthylalanine, phenylalanine, and diphenylalanine; and
Xaa k is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Gly, IIe, and Val, wherein said Xaa k amino acid is optionally linked to a Pro amino acid.
2. The peptide according to claim 1 , wherein said Xaa k amino acid is linked to Pro.
3. The peptide according to claim 2 , wherein Lys is present at amino acid position 11.
4. The peptide according to claim 3 , wherein said sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, and SEQ ID NO: 14.
5. The peptide according to claim 2 , wherein His is present at amino acid position 11.
6. The peptide according to claim 5 , wherein said sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 15, and SEQ ID NO: 16.
7. A method for producing the peptide according to claim 1 , wherein said method comprises solid-phase chemical synthesis of the peptide.
8. A composition comprising a complex of the peptide according to claim 1 and an envelope protein of a virus.
9. The composition according to claim 8 , wherein the virus is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
10. A process for preparing a composition comprising a complex of the peptide according to claim 1 and an envelope protein of a virus, wherein said process comprises combining the peptide with the envelope protein of the virus to form the complex of the composition.
11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the virus is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
12. A composition comprising the peptide according to claim 1 and a physiologically acceptable medium.
13. A process for preparing a composition comprising the peptide according to claim 1 and a physiologically acceptable medium, wherein said process comprises combining the peptide with the physiologically acceptable medium.
14. A method for detecting a viral envelope gp120 protein, or an analogue thereof, of a retroviral immunodeficiency virus, wherein said method comprises:
Contacting the peptide according to claim 1 with the viral envelope gp120 protein, or an analogue thereof, of the immunodeficiency virus to form a complex; and
detecting the complex.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the immunodeficiency virus is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
16. A method of purifying a viral envelope protein gp120, or an analogue thereof, of a retroviral immunodeficiency virus wherein said method comprises:
Immobilizing the peptide according to claim 1 on a chromatographic matrix to form an immobilized peptide; and
contacting the viral envelope protein gp120, or an analogue thereof, with the immobilized peptide to form a complex.
17. A method of screening a viral envelope gp120 protein, or an analogue thereof, of a retroviral immunodeficiency virus wherein said method comprises:
Labeling the peptide according to claim 1 with a marker to form a labeled peptide; and
contacting the viral envelope gp120 protein, or an analogue thereof, with the labeled peptide to form a labeled peptide/envelope protein complex; and
detecting the labeled complex.