A bioactive fullerene peptide.

The highly hydrophobic C60 (buckminsterfullerene) was water solubilized 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 chemotaxis. The resulting compound, characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, including a UV spectrum in aqueous solution, exhibits remarkable chemotactic potency, comparable to that of the parent pentapeptide. Furthermore, this fullerene-peptide conjugate inhibits, albeit weakly, HIV-1 protease.