Patent ID: 7657385
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: C07K,G01N,G16B

Abstract:
1. A method for identifying a ligand for the large extracellular loop of CD81, comprising the steps of (a) providing a 3D structural representation of the large extracellular loop of CD81, wherein the 3D structural representation comprises a D helix having a residue Phe186, and wherein the 3D structural representation of the large extracellular loop of CD81 is set forth in the atomic co-ordinates of Table 1, or variants of the atomic co-ordinates of Table 1 thereof, in which the r.m.s. deviation of the x, y and z co-ordinates for all heavy atoms is less than 2.5 Å; (b) providing a 3D structural representation of a potential ligand; (c) using a computer to dock the 3D structural representation of the potential ligand with the 3D structural representation of the large extracellular loop of CD81 at a site comprising the residue Phe186, wherein a potential ligand that docks with the large extracellular loop of CD81 at the site comprising the residue Phe186 is identified as a ligand for the large extracellular loop of CD81; (d) contacting the ligand identified in step (c) with CD81 or a fragment thereof containing the large extracellular loop, and (e) assaying the interaction between the ligand and CD81 or the fragment thereof containing the large extracellular loop to determine whether the ligand identified in step (c) is a ligand for the large extracellular loop of CD81.