De novo design of potent and selective interleukin mimetics

1. A nucleic acid encoding a non-naturally occurring polypeptide comprising domains X1, X2, X3, and X4, wherein:

(a) X1 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence EHALYDAL (SEQ ID NO:1);

(b) X2 is a helical-peptide of at least 8 amino acids in length;

(c) X3 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence YAFNFELI (SEQ ID NO:2);

(d) X4 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence ITILQSWIF (SEQ ID NO:3);

wherein X1, X2, X3, and X4 may be in any order in the polypeptide;

wherein amino acid linkers may be present between any of the domains; and

wherein the polypeptide binds to IL-2 receptor β c heterodimer (IL-2Rβ c ).

2. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein:

X1 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the peptide PKKKIQLHAEHALYDALMILNI (SEQ ID NO: 4) provided that the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO:4 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1;

X3 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the peptide LEDYAFNFELILEEIARLFESG (SEQ ID NO:5) provided that the amino acids at positions 4-11 relative to SEQ ID NO:5 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and

X4 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the peptide EDEQEEMANAIITILQSWIFS (SEQ ID NO:6) provided that the amino acids at positions 12-20 relative to SEQ ID NO:6 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

3. The nucleic acid of claim 2 , wherein X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 50% identical to the peptide KDEAEKAKRMKEWMKRIKT (SEQ ID NO:7).

4. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein:

X1 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide PKKKIQLHAEHALYDALMILNI (SEQ ID NO: 4) provided that the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO:4 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1;

X3 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide LEDYAFNFELILEEIARLFESG (SEQ ID NO:5) provided that the amino acids at positions 4-11 relative to SEQ ID NO:5 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and

X4 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide EDEQEEMANAIITILQSWIFS (SEQ ID NO:6) provided that the amino acids at positions 12-20 relative to SEQ ID NO:6 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

5. The nucleic acid of claim 4 , wherein X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide KDEAEKAKRMKEWMKRIKT (SEQ ID NO:7).

6. The nucleic acid of claim 4 wherein the domains are arranged N-terminal to C-terminal in an arrangement selected from X1-X3-X2-X4.

7. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein:

X1 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence PKKKIQLHAEHALYDALMILNI (SEQ ID NO: 4);

X3 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence LEDYAFNFELILEEIARLFESG (SEQ ID NO:5); and

X4 is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence EDEQEEMANAIITILQSWIFS (SEQ ID NO:6).

8. The nucleic acid of claim 7 , wherein X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the peptide KDEAEKAKRMKEWMKRIKT (SEQ ID NO:7).

9. The nucleic acid of claim 8 wherein the domains are arranged N-terminal to C-terminal in an arrangement selected from X1-X3-X2-X4.

10. The nucleic acid of claim 1 wherein the domains are arranged N-terminal to C-terminal in an arrangement selected from X1-X3-X2-X4.

11. A nucleic acid encoding a non-naturally occurring polypeptide comprising domains X1, X2, X3, and X4, wherein:

X1 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide PKKKIQLHAEHALYDALMILNI (SEQ ID NO: 4);

X2 is a helical-peptide of at least 8 amino acids in length;

X3 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide LEDYAFNFELILEEIARLFESG (SEQ ID NO:5); and

X4 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide EDEQEEMANAIITILQSWIFS (SEQ ID NO:6);

wherein X1, X2, X3, and X4 may be in any order in the polypeptide;

wherein amino acid linkers may be present between any of the domains; and

wherein the polypeptide binds to IL-2 receptor β c heterodimer (IL-2Rβ c ).

12. The nucleic acid of claim 11 , wherein:

X1 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide PKKKIQLHAEHALYDALMILNI (SEQ ID NO: 4), wherein the amino acid at position 1 is P or if substituted is A, F, I, L, M, Q, R, S, or W;

the amino acid at position 2 is K or if substituted is A, D, E, G, or V;

the amino acid at position 3 is K or if substituted is D, E, F, or W;

the amino acid at position 4 is K or if substituted is D, E, N, P, R, or W;

the amino acid at position 5 is I or if substituted is D, E, H, K, L, M, or S;

the amino acid at position 6 is Q or if substituted is A, D, E, G, L, P, S, or W;

the amino acid at position 7 is L or if substituted is D, E, Q, Y, or I;

the amino acid at position 8 is H or if substituted is A, F, W, Y, M, or T;

the amino acid at position 9 is A or if substituted is C, F, or P;

the amino acid at position 10 is E or if substituted is C, D, F, K, or P;

the amino acid at position 11 is H or if substituted is D, F, or E;

the amino acid at position 12 is A or if substituted is D, E, P, S, T, or V;

the amino acid at position 13 is L or if substituted is H, I, M, P, R, V, or W;

the amino acid at position 14 is Y or if substituted is F, R, W, or K;

the amino acid at position 15 is D or if substituted is E, N, or Y;

the amino acid at position 16 is A or if substituted is C, L, M, or S;

the amino acid at position 17 is L or if substituted is F, I, M, P, or R;

the amino acid at position 18 is M or if substituted is G, Q, Y, or S;

the amino acid at position 19 is I or if substituted is L, M, P, Q, or V;

the amino acid at position 20 is L or if substituted is A, K, M, Q, R, or S;

the amino acid at position 21 is N or if substituted is G, K, P, R, S, or W;

the amino acid at position 22 is I or if substituted is D, E, K, M, N, W, or Y, wherein the position numbering is relative to SEQ ID NO: 4;

X3 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide LEDYAFNFELILEEIARLFESG (SEQ ID NO:5); wherein the amino acid at position 1 is L or if substituted is A;

the amino acid at position 2 is E or if substituted is D, G, K, M, or T;

the amino acid at position 3 is D or if substituted is E, N, Y, or R;

the amino acid at position 4 is Y or if substituted is C, D, G, T, or F;

the amino acid at position 5 is A or if substituted is F, H, S, V, W, or Y;

the amino acid at position 6 is F or if substituted is A, I, M, T, V, Y, or K;

the amino acid at position 7 is N or if substituted is D, K, S, T, or R;

the amino acid at position 8 is F or if substituted is A, C, G, L, M, S, or V;

the amino acid at position 9 is E or if substituted is C, H, K, L, R, S, T, or V;

the amino acid at position 10 is L or if substituted is F, I, M, Y, or R;

the amino acid at position 11 is I or if substituted is L, N, T, or Y;

the amino acid at position 12 is L or if substituted is F, K, M, S, or V;

the amino acid at position 13 is E or if substituted is A, D, F, G, I, N, P,Q, S, T, or W;

the amino acid at position 14 is E or if substituted is A, F, G, H, S, or V;

the amino acid at position 15 is I or if substituted is C, L, M, V, or W;

the amino acid at position 16 is A or if substituted is D, G, S, T, or V;

the amino acid at position 17 is R or if substituted is H, K, L, or N;

the amino acid at position 18 is L or if substituted is C, D, G, I, Q, R, T, or W;

the amino acid at position 19 is F or if substituted is D, M, N, or W;

the amino acid at position 20 is E or if substituted is A, C, F, G, M, S, or Y;

the amino acid at position 21 is S or if substituted is D, E, G, H, L, M, R, T, V, or W;

the amino acid at position 22 is G or if substituted is A, D, K, N, S, or Y, wherein the position numbering is relative to SEQ ID NO: 5; and

X4 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide EDEQEEMANAIITILQSWIFS (SEQ ID NO:6); wherein the amino acid at position 1 is E or if substituted is D, G, K, or V;

the amino acid at position 2 is D or if substituted is I, M, or S;

the amino acid at position 3 is E or if substituted is G, H, or K;

the amino acid at position 4 is Q or if substituted is E, G, I, K, R, or S;

the amino acid at position 5 is E or if substituted is A, D, G, H, S, or V;

the amino acid at position 6 is E or if substituted is C, D, G, I, M, Q, R, T, or V;

the amino acid at position 7 is M or if substituted is C, E, L, P, R, or T;

the amino acid at position 8 is A or if substituted is F, L, M, or W;

the amino acid at position 9 is N or if substituted is A, G, L, Q, R, or T;

the amino acid at position 10 is A or if substituted is C, D, E, F, H, I, or W;

the amino acid at position 11 is I or if substituted is M, N, S, V, or W;

the amino acid at position 12 is I or if substituted is K, L, S, or V;

the amino acid at position 13 is T or if substituted is C, L, M, R, or S;

the amino acid at position 14 is I or if substituted is L, P, T, or Y;

the amino acid at position 15 is L or if substituted is F, G, I, M, N, or V;

the amino acid at position 16 is Q or if substituted is H, K, or R;

the amino acid at position 17 is S or if substituted is C, F, K, W, or Y;

the amino acid at position 18 is W or if substituted is K, Q, or T;

the amino acid at position 19 is I or if substituted is C, G, or N;

the amino acid at position 20 is F or if substituted is C, G, L, or Y; and

the amino acid at position 21 is S or if substituted is A, F, G, H, or Y, wherein the position numbering is relative to SEQ ID NO: 6.

13. The nucleic acid of claim 11 , wherein X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 50% identical to the peptide KDEAEKAKRMKEWMKRIKT (SEQ ID NO:7).

14. The nucleic acid of claim 11 , wherein X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the peptide KDEAEKAKRMKEWMKRIKT (SEQ ID NO:7).

15. The nucleic acid of claim 11 wherein the domains are arranged N-terminal to C-terminal in an arrangement selected from X1-X3-X2-X4.

16. A nucleic acid encoding a non-naturally occurring polypeptide wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181, wherein the polypeptide binds to IL-2 receptor β c heterodimer (IL-2Rβ c ).

17. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.

18. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.

19. The nucleic acid of claim 18 , wherein the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1; the amino acids at positions 37-44 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and the amino acids at positions 91-99 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

20. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.

21. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 97% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.

22. The nucleic acid of claim 21 , wherein the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1; the amino acids at positions 37-44 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and the amino acids at positions 91-99 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

23. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 98% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.

24. The nucleic acid of claim 23 , wherein the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1; the amino acids at positions 37-44 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and the amino acids at positions 91-99 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

25. The nucleic acid of claim 23 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is 98% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:181 and comprises a tyrosine at position 8 and a glutamic acid at position 33.

26. The nucleic acid of claim 23 wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is 99% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:181 and comprises a cysteine at position 62.

27. The nucleic acid of claim 16 , wherein the amino acids at positions 10-17 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:1; the amino acids at positions 37-44 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:2; and the amino acids at positions 91-99 relative to SEQ ID NO: 181 are identical to SEQ ID NO:3.

28. The nucleic acid of claim 16 wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 181.