A BIOACTIVE FULLERENE PEPTIDE

The highly hydrophobic C-60 (buckminsterfullerene) was water solubiliz ed by covalently linking the synthon 1,2-dihydro-1,2-methanofullerene [60]-61-carboxylic acid to the alpha-amino group of the hydrophilic 4- 8 sequence of peptide T, known to display potent human monocyte chemot axis. The resulting compound, characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, including a UV spectrum in aqueous solution, exhibits rem arkable chemotactic potency, comparable to that of the parent pentapep tide. Furthermore, this fullerene-peptide conjugate inhibits, albeit w eakly, HIV-1 protease.