Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) binding polymers and MHC oligomers and methods of producing such oligomers

摘要

The present invention relates to an MHC binding polymer suitable for the oligomerisation of individual MHC monomers. The MHC binding polymer comprises a first segment and a second segment, wherein the first segment comprises a peptide capable of binding in a binding groove of an MHC molecule, and wherein the second segment comprises a linking segment and a recognition site for coupling the MHC binding polymer with a specific partner. The linking segment is a polymer with a length of at least 10 Angstrom in its native conformation. Further it relates to an MHC oligomer containing such MHC binding polymers. Individual functional MHC complex monomers are oligomerised via their peptides bound in the peptide binding groove of the complex. Moreover, it relates to a method of making such MHC binding polymer and oligomer and various methods using the same.