Peptide aptamers: new tools to study protein interactions

The ability to specifically interfere with the function of proteins of path ological significance has been a goal for molecular medicine for many years . Peptide aptamers comprise a new class of molecules., with a peptide moiet y of randomized sequence, which are selected for their ability to bind to a given target protein under intracellular conditions. They have the potenti al to inhibit the biochemical activities of a target protein, can delineate the interactions of the target protein in regulatory networks, and identif y novel therapeutic targets. Peptide aptamers represent a new basis for dru g design and protein therapy, with implications for basic and applied resea rch, for a broad variety of different types of diseases. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.