Arenavirus inhibiting peptides and uses therefor

Abstract

The present invention describes peptides which inhibit fusion of an arenavirus (e.g., Pichinde virus; PICV) with a host cell membrane. The arenavirus inhibiting (AVI) peptides described herein comprise a segment of the GP2 protein of an arenavirus. The AVI peptides are useful for inhibiting arenavirus-to-host cell membrane fusion and for treating arenavirus infections. In a particular embodiment, the arenavirus inhibiting peptide comprises a segment of PICV glycoprotein 2 (PICV GP2; SEQ ID NO: 1), Tamiami virus (TAMV) GP2 (SEQ ID NO: 14), or Lassa virus (LASV) GP2 (SEQ ID NO: 15). In particular, the segment is selected from a region of an arenavirus GP2 extending from the N-terminus into the first half of the FIR (i.e., from residues 1 through 105 of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 14, or SEQ ID NO: 15).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.