Patent ID: 6872806

Claim:
A coiled-coil polypeptide comprising the formula (ab i c i de i f i g i ) n , where i=1, 2, . . . , n, and n is at least three, said polypeptide being prepared by (a) selecting a solvent-accessible region of an epitope of a selected natural protein, wherein said region is not in a coiled-coil conformation in its native state, and inserting the amino acids from said region into the b i , c i , e i , f i and g i positions; and (b) independently inserting an amino acid selected from the group consisting of leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, methionine, tyrosine, and derivatives thereof, into each of the a and d positions such that the amino acids from the epitope in the b i , c i , e i , f i and g i positions are interrupted by the amino acids in the a and d positions; wherein (ab i c i de i f i g i ) n , forms a coiled-coil.