Antimicrobial Peptides and Methods of Identifying the Same

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides and methods of identifying the same are provided.

1 . An isolated LL-37 peptide having at least 90% homology with amino acid sequence FKRIVQRIKDFLRX 1  (SEQ ID NO. 10), wherein X 1  is selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 amino acids. 
     
     
         2 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An isolated LL-37 peptide having at least 90% homology with amino acid sequence X 1 RLFDKIRQVIRKFX 2  (SEQ ID NO. 18), wherein X 1  is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 amino acids and X 2  is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 amino acids. 
     
     
         12 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11  having at least 95% homology with SEQ ID NO. 18. 
     
     
         13 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein X 2  is selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 amino acids. 
     
     
         14 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein the amino acids of X 1  and X 2  are the corresponding amino acids of SEQ ID NO. 1 in reverse orientation. 
     
     
         15 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein X 1  is the amino acid sequence VLN (SEQ ID NO. 19) and X 2  is 0 amino acids. 
     
     
         16 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the LL-37 peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one LL-37 peptide of  claim 1  and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one LL-37 peptide of  claim 11  and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         20 . A method for treating a bacterial infection in a patient comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 18  to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A method for treating a bacterial infection in a patient comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 19  to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A method for treating cancer in a patient comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 18  to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         23 . A method for treating cancer in a patient comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 19  to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method for identifying a core active peptide region of a peptide of interest comprising:
 a) performing a spectroscopy analysis of the peptide of interest;   b) identifying disordered residues, if any, from the spectroscopy analysis of step a); and   c) removing the residues identified in step b), if any, from the peptide of interest,   
       thereby identifying the core active peptide region. 
     
     
         25 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein said peptide comprises at least one D-amino acid. 
     
     
         32 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 31 , wherein said peptide comprises D-amino acids spaced by three consecutive L-amino acids. 
     
     
         33 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein said peptide is amidated. 
     
     
         34 . The isolated LL-37 peptide of  claim 11 , wherein said peptide is acetylated.