Preparation of a Tat-related transporter peptide for carrying the adenovirus vector into cells.

We synthesized a Tat-related peptide acetyl-Gly-Arg-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Gln-Arg-Arg-Arg-Pro-Pro-Gln-Gly-Cys amide, Ac-Tat(48-60)-Gly-Cys-NH(2), having high intracellular permeability, and conjugated this peptide to adenovirus vector to enhance gene transfer efficiency of adenovirus vector into cells. The peptide was prepared by the solid-phase peptide synthesis method and a bifunctional crosslinker 6-maleimidohexanoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester was used to conjugate the peptide to adenovirus vector containing luciferase gene. The novel conjugate of adenovirus vector and Ac-Tat(48-60)-Gly-Cys-NH(2) peptide exhibited excellent gene transfer efficacy in B16BL6 cells.