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AssigneeMassachusetts Insititute of Technology
InventorsShuguang Zhang, Curtis Lockshin, Alexander Rich, Todd Holmes
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Described herein is the self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides, i.e., peptides with alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues, into macroscopic membranes. The membrane-forming peptides are greater than 12 amino acids in length, and preferably at least 16 amino acids, are complementary and are structurally compatible. Specifically, two peptides, (AEAEAKAK).sub.2 (ARARADAD).sub.2, were shown to self-assemble into macroscopic membranes. Conditions under which the peptides self-assemble into macroscopic membranes and methods for producing the membranes are also described. The macroscopic membranes have several interesting properties: they are stable in aqueous solution, serum, and ethanol, are highly resistant to heat, alkaline and acidic pH, chemical denaturants, and proteolytic digestion, and are non-cytotoxic. The membranes are potentially useful in biomaterial applications such as slow-diffusion drug delivery systems, artificial skin, and separation matrices, and as experimental models for Alzheimer's disease and scrapie infection. The sequence of the peptide, EAK16, was derived from a putative Z-DNA binding protein from yeast, called zuotin. The cloning and characterization of the ZUO1 gene are also described.
A macroscopic membrane which is formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides in an aqueous solution containing monovalent metal cations, wherein the peptides contain 12 or more amino acids, have alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids and are complementary and structurally compatible.
A macroscopic membrane which is formed by self assembly of amphiphilic peptides in an aqueous solution containing monovalent metal cations;
A macroscopic membrane formed by self-assembly of a peptide having the sequence (amino acid numbers 310 to 317 of SEQ ID NO:2) (Ala-Glu-Ala-Glu-Ala-Lys-Ala-Lys).sub.n, where n is greater than or equal to 2.
A macroscopic membrane formed by a peptide having the sequence (amino acid numbers 1 to 8 of SEQ ID NO:40) (Arg-Ala-Asp-Ala-Arg-Ala-Asp-Ala).sub.n, where n is greater than or equal to 2.
A method for forming a macroscopic membrane comprising forming an aqueous mixture of peptides, which are 12 or more amino acids in length, have alternating nonpolar and hydrophilic amino acids, and are complementary and structurally compatible, and monovalent metal cations under conditions suitable for self-assembly of the peptide into the macroscopic membrane and allowing the membrane to be formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.