Patent ID: 7262272

Claim:
A method for stabilizing and displaying an epitope in a synthetic polypeptide comprising the formula (ab i c i de i f i g i ) n , where i=1,2, . . . , n, wherein n represents the number of heptad units, and n is at least three, said method comprising: (a) selecting a solvent-accessible region of the epitope, 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.