PEPTIDE CONJUGATES FOR THE STABILIZATION OF MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND INTERACTIONS WITH BIOLOGICAL MEMBRANES

摘要

The present inventionprovides a novel class of detergentsreferred to herein as lipopeptidedetergents. Lipopeptide detergentscomprise an amphipathic .alpha.-helicalpeptide having a hydrophobic orneutral face and a hydrophilic face. Toeach end of this peptide is covalentlylinked an aliphatic hydrocarbon tail,these aliphatic tails being linkedthereto such that they associate withthe hydrophobic or neutral face of thepeptide. Lipopeptide detergents canadvantageously be used to stabilizemembrane proteins in the absence of aphospholipid bilayer in a manner thatpreserves the native conformation andpermits the subsequent crystallizationthereof.