US 12,433,296 B2
Modified antimicrobial peptides
Dilip M. Shah, St. Louis, MO (US); and Meenakshi Tetorya, St. Louis, MO (US)
Assigned to DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed on Jun. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/807,209.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/365,928, filed on Jun. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/202,559, filed on Jun. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0408731 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01N 63/50 (2020.01); A01H 5/10 (2018.01); A01N 37/46 (2006.01); A01P 1/00 (2006.01); A01P 3/00 (2006.01); A61P 31/10 (2006.01); C07K 14/47 (2006.01); C12N 15/82 (2006.01); A61K 38/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01N 63/50 (2020.01) [A01H 5/10 (2013.01); A01N 37/46 (2013.01); A01P 1/00 (2021.08); A01P 3/00 (2021.08); A61P 31/10 (2018.01); C07K 14/4723 (2013.01); C12N 15/8282 (2013.01); A61K 38/00 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
 
1. An antifungal peptide comprising a modified C-terminal plant defensin peptide wherein:
(i) the unmodified C terminal plant defensin peptide comprises from N-terminus to C-terminus the conserved amino acid sequence GXCX3-10(C)(X)(C) (SEQ ID NO: 592) and a conserved cysteine residue located at the C-terminus of the unmodified C terminal plant defensin peptide;
(ii) the conserved amino acid sequence GXCX3-10(C)(X)(C) (SEQ ID NO: 592) of the unmodified C terminal plant defensin peptide is replaced with a modified gamma-core consensus sequence GXCX3-10(F/W/Y)(F/W/Y)(F/W/Y) (SEQ ID NO: 587) in the modified C-terminal plant defensin peptide;
(iii) the modified C-terminal plant defensin peptide retains the conserved cysteine residue located at the C-terminus of the unmodified C terminal plant defensin peptide;
(iv) the modified C-terminal plant defensin peptide has a net positive charge of at least 3 at neutral pH and a hydrophobic amino acid content at least 18%, wherein the hydrophobic amino acids are alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and methionine; and
(v) the modified C-terminal plant defensin peptide exhibits antifungal activity.