Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP)
Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) — A short peptide capable of crossing cell membranes, used as a delivery vehicle to transport cargo molecules including drugs, nucleic acids, and imaging agents into cells.
What Is a Cell-Penetrating Peptide?
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short peptides (5-30 amino acids) capable of crossing biological membranes and delivering cargo molecules into cells. First discovered with the HIV-1 TAT protein (1988) and Drosophila Antennapedia homeodomain (1991), CPPs have become essential delivery tools in peptide and nucleic acid research, overcoming the major barrier of cell membrane impermeability.
Major CPP Classes
- Cationic: Rich in Arg and Lys. TAT(47-57): YGRKKRRQRRR. Polyarginine (R8, R9). Uptake driven by electrostatic interaction with membrane phospholipids
- Amphipathic: Alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues. Penetratin: RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK. MAP: KLALKLALKALKAALKLA
- Hydrophobic: Enriched in nonpolar residues. Less commonly used due to solubility challenges
Delivery Applications
CPPs deliver peptides, proteins, nucleic acids (siRNA, antisense), nanoparticles, and imaging agents across cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier. Cargo is attached through covalent conjugation or non-covalent complex formation. CPP-peptide conjugates enable intracellular delivery of otherwise membrane-impermeant research compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP)?
A short peptide capable of crossing cell membranes, used as a delivery vehicle to transport cargo molecules including drugs, nucleic acids, and imaging agents into cells.
Why is Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) important in peptide research?
Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) is a fundamental concept in compound as it relates to peptide science. It directly influences experimental design, compound characterization, and the reliability of research outcomes across biochemistry and molecular biology disciplines.
Authority Sources
- Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) on Wikipedia
- Search Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) on PubChem (NIH)
- Research articles on ScienceDirect