Muteins with tear lipocalin having affinity to human c-met receptor tyrosine kinase and methods for obtaining the same

A nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a mutein of human tear lipocalin (hTLc) having detectable binding affinity to human Met receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Met) or a domain or fragment thereof and wherein said mutein comprises at least 8 amino acid substitutions with respect to the amino acid sequence of mature human tear lipocalin (SEQ ID NO:36), which are selected from the group consisting of Arg 26→Thr, Val, Pro, Ser, or Gly;

• Glu 27→Gln, Gly, Val, or Ser;
• Phe 28→Met, or Asp;
• Pro 29→Leu, Ile, Ala, or Trp;
• Glu 30→Leu, Gly, Arg, or Phe;
• Met 31→Ser;
• Asn 32→Leu, Arg, Val, or Gln;
• Leu 33→Tyr, Val, Ile, Thr, or Phe;
• Glu 34→Val, Arg, or Ala;
• Leu 56→Asn;
• Ile 57→Gln;
• Ser 58→Ile, or Val;
• Asp 80→Tyr;
• Lys 83→Ala;
• Glu 104→Asp;
• Leu 105→Thr;
• His 106→Trp;
• and Lys 108→Gly.