PEPTIDE-BASED REGULATION OF GAP JUNCTIONS

摘要

The present invention relates to proteins and polypeptides that (i) have the formula A - [Wm - A]n where each A is independently a peptide of formula XXXXRXPXXXX where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, and P is proline; each W is independently a linker; m is 1 or 2; and n is any number from 1 through 5; (ii) consist essentially of the formula XnRXPXm where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, P is proline, n is any number from zero to fifteen, m is any number from zero to fifteen, and the sum of n and m is any number from eight to fifteen; (iii) have the formula A - An where each A is independently a peptide of formula XXXXRXPXXXX where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, and P is proline; and n is any number from 1 through 5; or (iv) consist essentially of the formula XnRXPXm where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, P is proline, n is any number from zero to seven, m is any number from zero to seven, and the sum of n and m is any number from zero to seven. Methods using these proteins and polypeptides to: identify the location of an RXP -binding domain of Cx43CT, modulate a Cx43 gap junction channel, screen for compounds that modulate Cx43CT, and measure Cx43CT-binding affinity of a compound that binds to Cx43CT, are also disclosed.