Patent ID: 7015309

Claim:
A modified pyrrhocoricin peptide of the formula R 1 -SEQ ID NO: 1-R 2 having anti-bacterial activity, wherein SEQ ID NO: 1 is -Asp-Lys-Gly-Ser-Tyr-Leu-Pro-Arg-Pro-Thr-Pro-Pro-Arg-Pro-Ile-Tyr-Asn-Arg-, wherein said Thr in SEQ ID NO: 1 lacks glycosylation; wherein the bond between said Asn-Arg amino acids in said SEQ ID NO: 1 improves the stability thereof against protease degradation; wherein R 1 adds a net positive charge to the N-terminus of said peptide and is selected from the group consisting of (a) a straight chain, branched, cyclic or heterocyclic alkyl group; (b) a straight chain, branched, cyclic or heterocyclic alkanoyl group; (c) a positively charged reporter group; (d) a sequence of additional amino acids selected from the group consisting of Arg-Val, Lys-Val, D-Val, Lys-Val-Asp-Lys-Val, wherein the N-terminal additional amino acid is optionally substituted by one or more of (a), (b), or (c); and (e) an additional amino acid sequence Arg-Pro-Pro-Thr-Pro-Arg-Pro-Leu-Lys-Val SEQ ID NO: 3 that cyclizes the peptide by bridging between the N- and C-termini thereof; and wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of (f) a free hydroxyl, an amide, an imide, or a sugar; (g) an additional amino acid selected from the group consisting of Asn, D-Asn, Asp, Asn substituted by a member selected from the group consisting of a free hydroxyl, an amide, an imide, and a sugar; and Asp substituted by a member selected from the group consisting of a free hydroxyl, an amide, an imide and a sugar.