A Self-Assembling Peptide Scaffold for the Multivalent Presentation of Antigens

Biomacromolecules. 2015 Jul 13;16(7):2188-97. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b00572. Epub 2015 Jun 4.

Abstract

Self-assembling peptides can be used to create tunable higher-order structures for the multivalent presentation of a variety of ligands. We describe a novel, fiber-forming coiled-coil-based peptide that assembles to display, simultaneously, carbohydrate and peptide ligands recognized by biomacromolecules. Preassembly decoration of the scaffold with a diphtheria toxin peptide epitope or a mannose motif did not interfere with self-assembly of the nanostructure. The resulting multivalent display led to tighter binding by antidiphtheria toxin antibodies and mannose-specific carbohydrate binding proteins, respectively. The potential of this self-assembling peptide to display ligands in bioanalytical assays is illustrated by its decoration with a disaccharide glycotope from the Leishmania parasite. Carbohydrate-specific antibodies produced in response to a Leishmania infection are detected more sensitively in human and canine sera due to the multivalent presentation on the self-assembled scaffold. Thus, nanofibers based on coiled-coil peptides are a powerful tool for the development of bioassays and diagnostics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation*
  • Antigens, Protozoan / metabolism
  • Carbohydrates / chemistry
  • Carbohydrates / immunology*
  • Dogs
  • Humans
  • Leishmania / immunology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanofibers / chemistry
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Carbohydrates
  • Peptides