The present invention relates to the design of trimeric polypeptides using
polypeptide structural elements derived from the tetranectin protein
family, and their use in rational de novo design and production of
multi-functional molecules including the application of the
multi-functional molecules in protein library technology, such as phage
display technology, diagnostic and therapeutic systems, such as human
gene therapy and imaging. The trimeric polypeptides being constructed as
a monomer polypeptide construct comprising at least one tetranectin
trimerising structural element (TTSE) which is covalently linked to at
least one heterologous moiety, said TTSE being capable of forming a
stable complex with two other TTSEs; or as an oligomer which is comprised
of two monomer polypeptide constructs as mentioned above, and which
comprises three TTSEs or a multiplum of three TTSEs, or which is
comprised of three monomer polypeptide constructs.