Buforin I as a specific inhibitor and therapeutic agent for botulinum toxin B and tetanus neurotoxins

Abstract

The compounds of the invention are generally described by the formula: X1X2B3X4B5X*6X7X8 B9X10B11X12B13X14 B15X16B17X*18X*19B20 X21X22X23Q24F25Z*26X27 X28B29X30B31B32X33X34 B35B36X37Z38Z39  (1) and the salts, esters, amides, and acyl forms thereof. Up to 15 amino acids may be truncated from the N-terminus and up to 6 amino acids may be truncated from the C-terminus. Each position represented by a letter indicates a single amino acid residue wherein B is a basic or polar/large amino acid or a modified form thereof; X is a small or hydrophobic amino acid or a modified form thereof; X* is a small or polar/large amino acid or a modified form thereof; Z is a polar/large or hydrophobic amino acid or a modified form thereof; Z* is Proline or a polar/large or hydrophobic amino acid or a modified form thereof. These compounds may be used to inhibit the protease activity of Botulinum B and tetanus toxins.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.