Recombinant pentameric ligands or Peptabody

Concept of Peptabody Technology

The peptabody is a pentameric protein structure with a high avidity potential allowing strong binding of target molecules due to a cooperative binding effect (Terskikh et al., 1997). Each peptabody monomer consists of a Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) inducing spontaneous pentamerization, a semi-rigid hinge region and a target binding molecule:

- a 48 amino acid fragment of the human Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (hCOMP)
- a 19 amino acid the human IgA fragment acting as hinge region
- peptide or small proteins (up to 50-70 amino-acids)

D pentameric structure of Peptabody

Strong binding by avidity effect

The recombinant peptabody can be used to target any immobilized antigen (receptor, surface protein, etc) and can displace at nM concentration a monoclonal antibody by cooperative binding.

Displacement of Monoclonal antibody (nM affinity) by Peptabody targeting the same protein