SINGLE CHAIN ANALOGS OF THE TGF-.BETA. SUPERFAMILY (MORPHONS)

摘要

Disclosed is a family of single-chain polypeptide constructs designed toagonize or mimic members of the TGF-.beta. superfamily by binding to a cellsurface receptor complementary to the superfamily member. The single-chainconstructs of the invention called "morphons" contain in a single biologicallyactive subunit interacting finger and heel regions which together define atertiary protein structure complementary to the ligand binding surface of areceptor that binds a TGF-.beta. superfamily member. Also disclosed aretruncated versions of the morphon constructs. Methods are disclosed for makingand using single-chain morphons that have binding affinity for predeterminedreceptors of the TGF-.beta. superfamily.