Indolicidin analogs and methods of using same

US6800745B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventor

• Michael E. Selsted · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 1999
• Grant date: Oct 5, 2004
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07K2319/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to analogs of indolicidin, which is a naturally occurring peptide having the amino acid sequence Ile-Leu-Pro-Trp-Lys-Trp-Pro-Trp-Trp-Pro-Trp-Arg-Arg-NH2 (“Indol 1-13;” SEQ ID NO: 1). The indolicidin analogs of the invention include, for example, analogs such as Indol 2-13 (SEQ ID NO: 2) and Indol 3-13 (SEQ ID NO: 3), which are truncated at the amino terminus by one and two amino acids, respectively, as compared to Indol 1-13 (SEQ ID NO: 1); analogs in which at least one Trp residue in an amino terminal truncated indolicidin analog is replaced by a Phe residue (“Indol/F”) analogs”); indolicidin analogs comprising, at the carboxy terminus, a homoserine residue; and fusion polypeptides comprising an indolicidin analog. In addition, the invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding the indolicidin analogs of the invention or precursors of such analogs. The invention also relates to methods of using the indolicidin analogs to reduce or inhibit microbial growth or survival by contacting an environment capable of sustaining microbial growth with the indolicidin analog.