Abstract

We synthesized a Tat-related peptide acetyl-Gly-Arg-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Gln-Arg-Arg-Arg-Pro-Pro-Gln-Gly- Cys amide, Ac-Tat48-60-Gly-Cys-NH2, having high intracellular permeability, and conjugated this peptide to adenovirus vector to enhance gene transfer efficiency of adenovirus vector into cells. The peptide was prepared by the solid-phase peptide synthesis method and a bifunctional crosslinker 6-maleimidohexanoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester was used to conjugate the peptide to adenovirus vector containing luciferase gene. The novel conjugate of adenovirus vector and Ac-Tat48-60-Gly-Cys-NH2 peptide exhibited excellent gene transfer efficacy in B16BL6 cells.

Keywords: Adenovirus, cell-penetrating peptide, Tat peptide, synthetic peptide