Replikin peptides and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a new class of peptides related to rapid replication and high human mortality, and their use in diagnosing, preventing and treating disease.

1 . An isolated or synthesized coronavirus peptide consisting of 10 to about 50 amino acids comprising a motif consisting of:
 (1) at least one lysine residue located at a first terminus of said motif and at least one lysine residue or at least one histidine residue located at a second terminus of said motif;   (2) a first lysine residue located six to ten residues from a second lysine residue;   (3) at least one histidine residue; and   (4) at least 6% lysine residues.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide amino acid sequence consists of 10 to 25 amino acids residues. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide amino acid sequence consists of 10 to 16 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         4 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said coronavirus is a SARS coronavirus. 
     
     
         23 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A synthetic peptide encoding a UTOPE wherein said UTOPE is a peptide consisting of 6 to about 10 amino acids comprising all lysines except for one histidine. 
     
     
         31 . A synthetic peptide encoding a UTOPE of  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE is encoded by one of the sequences selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 732, SEQ ID NO: 733, SEQ ID NO: 734, SEQ ID NO: 735, SEQ ID NO: 736, SEQ ID NO: 737, SEQ ID NO: 738, SEQ ID NO: 739, SEQ ID NO: 740, SEQ ID NO: 741 and SEQ ID NO: 742. 
     
     
         32 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 732. 
     
     
         45 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 733. 
     
     
         46 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 734. 
     
     
         47 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 735. 
     
     
         48 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 736. 
     
     
         49 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 737. 
     
     
         50 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 738. 
     
     
         51 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 739. 
     
     
         52 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 740. 
     
     
         53 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 741. 
     
     
         54 . A peptide according to  claim 30  wherein said UTOPE has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 742. 
     
     
         55 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide amino acid sequence consists of 20 to 30 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         65 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide amino acid sequence consists of 30 to 40 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         66 . The isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide amino acid sequence consists of 40 to 50 amino acid residues. 
     
     
         67 . An immunogenic composition comprising the isolated or synthesized peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         68 . An immunogenic composition comprising the synthetic peptide of  claim 30 . 
     
     
         69 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 68  wherein said synthetic peptide of  claim 30  is selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 732, SEQ ID NO: 733, SEQ ID NO: 734, SEQ ID NO: 735, SEQ ID NO: 736, SEQ ID NO: 737, SEQ ID NO: 738, SEQ ID NO: 739, SEQ ID NO: 740, SEQ ID NO: 741 and SEQ ID NO: 742. 
     
     
         70 . A method of stimulating the immune system of a subject to produce antibodies to coronavirus comprising administering an effective amount of at least one isolated or synthesized coronavirus peptide of  claim 1 .