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Bao N, Lecaer JP, Nghia ND, Vinh PTK. Isolation and structural identification of a new T1-conotoxin with unique disulfide connectivities derived from Conus bandanus. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2020; 26:e20190095. [PMID: 32425993 PMCID: PMC7216822 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2019-0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 08/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Conopeptides are neuropharmacological peptides derived from the venomous
salivary glands of cone snails. Among 29 superfamilies based on conserved
signal sequences, T-superfamily conotoxins, which belong to the smallest
group, include four different frameworks that contain four cysteines
denominated I, V, X and XVI. In this work, the primary structure and the
cysteine connectivity of novel conotoxin of Conus bandanus
were determined by tandem mass spectrometry using collision-induced
dissociation. Methods: The venom glands of C. bandanus snails were dissected,
pooled, and extracted with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in three steps and
lyophilized. The venom was fractionated and purified in an HPLC system with
an analytical reversed-phase C18 column. The primary peptide
structure was analyzed by MALDI TOF MS/MS using collision-induced
dissociation and confirmed by Edman's degradation. The peptide’s cysteine
connectivity was determined by rapid partial reduction-alkylation
technique. Results: The novel conotoxin,
NGC1C2(I/L)VREC3C4, was
firstly derived from de novo sequencing by MS/MS. The
presence of isoleucine residues in this conotoxin was confirmed by the Edman
degradation method. The conotoxin, denominated Bn5a, belongs to the
T1-subfamily of conotoxins. However, the disulfide bonds
(C1-C4/C2-C3) of Bn5a were
not the same as found in other T1-subfamily conopeptides but shared common
connectivities with T2-subfamily conotoxins. The T1-conotoxin of C.
bandanus proved the complexity of the disulfide bond pattern of
conopeptides. The homological analysis revealed that the novel conotoxin
could serve as a valuable probe compound for the human-nervous-system
norepinephrine transporter. Conclusion: We identified the first T1-conotoxin, denominated Bn5a, isolated from
C. bandanus venom. However, Bn5a conotoxin exhibited
unique C1-C4/C2-C3 disulfide
connectivity, unlike other T1-conotoxins
(C1-C3/C2-C4). The
structural and homological analyses herein have evidenced novel conotoxin
Bn5a that may require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Bao
- Faculty of Food Technology, Nha Trang University, 02 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam
| | - Jean-Pière Lecaer
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Centre de Recherche de Gif, FRC3115, UPR 2301, F-91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ngo Dang Nghia
- Institute of Biotechnology and Environment, Nha Trang University, 02 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam
| | - Phan Thi Khanh Vinh
- Faculty of Food Technology, Nha Trang University, 02 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam
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2
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Abalde S, Tenorio MJ, Afonso CML, Zardoya R. Conotoxin Diversity in Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778) and the Convergent Origin of Piscivory in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Cones. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:2643-2662. [PMID: 30060147 PMCID: PMC6178336 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptome of the venom duct of the Atlantic piscivorous cone species Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778) was determined. The venom repertoire of this species includes at least 378 conotoxin precursors, which could be ascribed to 33 known and 22 new (unassigned) protein superfamilies, respectively. Most abundant superfamilies were T, W, O1, M, O2, and Z, accounting for 57% of all detected diversity. A total of three individuals were sequenced showing considerable intraspecific variation: each individual had many exclusive conotoxin precursors, and only 20% of all inferred mature peptides were common to all individuals. Three different regions (distal, medium, and proximal with respect to the venom bulb) of the venom duct were analyzed independently. Diversity (in terms of number of distinct members) of conotoxin precursor superfamilies increased toward the distal region whereas transcripts detected toward the proximal region showed higher expression levels. Only the superfamilies A and I3 showed statistically significant differential expression across regions of the venom duct. Sequences belonging to the alpha (motor cabal) and kappa (lightning-strike cabal) subfamilies of the superfamily A were mainly detected in the proximal region of the venom duct. The mature peptides of the alpha subfamily had the α4/4 cysteine spacing pattern, which has been shown to selectively target muscle nicotinic-acetylcholine receptors, ultimately producing paralysis. This function is performed by mature peptides having a α3/5 cysteine spacing pattern in piscivorous cone species from the Indo-Pacific region, thereby supporting a convergent evolution of piscivory in cones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Abalde
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel J Tenorio
- Departamento CMIM y Q. Inorgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cadiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Carlos M L Afonso
- Fisheries, Biodiversity and Conervation Group, Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rafael Zardoya
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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3
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Franklin JB, Rajesh RP. A sleep-inducing peptide from the venom of the Indian cone snail Conus araneosus. Toxicon 2015; 103:39-47. [PMID: 26100663 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The marine snail Conus araneosus has unusual significance due to its confined distribution to coastal regions of southeast India and Sri Lanka. Due to its relative scarceness, this species has been poorly studied. In this work, we characterized the venom of C. araneosus to identify new venom peptides. We identified 14 novel compounds. We determined amino acid sequences from chemically-modified and unmodified crude venom using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ten sequences showed six Cys residues arranged in a pattern that is most commonly associated with the M-superfamily of conotoxins. Four other sequences had four Cys residues in a pattern that is most commonly associated with the T-superfamily of conotoxins. The post-translationally modified residue (pyroglutamate) was determined at the N-terminus of two sequences, ar3h and ar3i respectively. In addition, two sequences, ar3g and ar3h were C-terminally amidated. At a dose of 2 nmol, peptide ar3j elicited sleep when injected intraperitoneally into mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a peptide from a molluscivorous cone snail with sleep-inducing effects in mice. The novel peptides characterized herein extend the repertoire of unique peptides derived from cone snails and may add value to the therapeutic promise of conotoxins.
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4
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Bioinformatics-Aided Venomics. Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:2159-87. [PMID: 26110505 PMCID: PMC4488696 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7062159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Venomics is a modern approach that combines transcriptomics and proteomics to explore the toxin content of venoms. This review will give an overview of computational approaches that have been created to classify and consolidate venomics data, as well as algorithms that have helped discovery and analysis of toxin nucleic acid and protein sequences, toxin three-dimensional structures and toxin functions. Bioinformatics is used to tackle specific challenges associated with the identification and annotations of toxins. Recognizing toxin transcript sequences among second generation sequencing data cannot rely only on basic sequence similarity because toxins are highly divergent. Mass spectrometry sequencing of mature toxins is challenging because toxins can display a large number of post-translational modifications. Identifying the mature toxin region in toxin precursor sequences requires the prediction of the cleavage sites of proprotein convertases, most of which are unknown or not well characterized. Tracing the evolutionary relationships between toxins should consider specific mechanisms of rapid evolution as well as interactions between predatory animals and prey. Rapidly determining the activity of toxins is the main bottleneck in venomics discovery, but some recent bioinformatics and molecular modeling approaches give hope that accurate predictions of toxin specificity could be made in the near future.
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5
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Rajesh RP. Novel M-Superfamily and T-Superfamily conotoxins and contryphans from the vermivorous snail Conus figulinus. J Pept Sci 2014; 21:29-39. [PMID: 25420928 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The venom of Conus figulinus, a vermivorous cone snail, found in the south east coast of India, has been studied in an effort to identify novel peptide toxins. The amino acid sequences of seven peptides have been established using de novo mass spectrometric based sequencing methods. Among these, three peptides belong to the M-Superfamily conotoxins, namely, Fi3a, Fi3b, and Fi3c, and one that belongs to the T-Superfamily, namely, Fi5a. The other three peptides are contryphans, namely, contryphans fib, fic, and fid. Of these Fi3b, Fi3c, Fi5a, and contryphan fib are novel and are reported for the first time from venom of C. figulinus. The details of the sequencing methods and the relationship of these peptides with other 'M'-Superfamily conotoxins from the fish hunting and mollusk hunting clades are discussed. These novel peptides could serve as a lead compounds for the development of neuropharmacologically important drugs.
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Neves J, Campos A, Osório H, Antunes A, Vasconcelos V. Conopeptides from Cape Verde Conus crotchii. Mar Drugs 2013; 11:2203-15. [PMID: 23783403 PMCID: PMC3721229 DOI: 10.3390/md11062203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2013] [Revised: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine Cone snails of the genus Conus contain complex peptide toxins in their venom. Living in tropical habitats, they usually use the powerful venom for self-defense and prey capture. Here, we study Conus crotchii venom duct using a peptide mass-matching approach. The C. crotchii was collected on the Cape Verde archipelago in the Boa Vista Island. The venom was analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). About 488 molecular masses between 700 Da and 3000 Da were searched bymatching with known peptide sequences from UniProtKB protein sequence database. Through this method we were able to identify 12 conopeptides. For validation we considered the error between the experimental molecular mass (monoisotopic) and the calculated mass of less than 0.5 Da. All conopeptides detected belong to the A-, O1-, O2-, O3-, T- and D-superfamilies, which can block Ca²⁺ channels, inhibit K⁺ channels and act on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Only a few of the detected peptides have a 100% UniProtKB database similarity, suggesting that several of them could be newly discovered marine drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Neves
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto 4050-123, Portugal; E-Mails: (J.N.); (A.C.); (A.A.)
- DECM—Department of Engineering and Sea Science, Cape Verde University, Mindelo CP 163, Cape Verde
| | - Alexandre Campos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto 4050-123, Portugal; E-Mails: (J.N.); (A.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Hugo Osório
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, IPATIMUP, Porto 4200-465, Portugal; E-Mail:
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto 4200-319, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto 4050-123, Portugal; E-Mails: (J.N.); (A.C.); (A.A.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Vitor Vasconcelos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto 4050-123, Portugal; E-Mails: (J.N.); (A.C.); (A.A.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto 4169-007, Portugal
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +351-22-340-1817; Fax: +351-22-339-0608
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Petrel C, Hocking HG, Reynaud M, Upert G, Favreau P, Biass D, Paolini-Bertrand M, Peigneur S, Tytgat J, Gilles N, Hartley O, Boelens R, Stocklin R, Servent D. Identification, structural and pharmacological characterization of τ-CnVA, a conopeptide that selectively interacts with somatostatin sst3 receptor. Biochem Pharmacol 2013; 85:1663-71. [PMID: 23567999 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Revised: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Conopeptides are a diverse array of small linear and reticulated peptides that interact with high potency and selectivity with a large diversity of receptors and ion channels. They are used by cone snails for prey capture or defense. Recent advances in venom gland transcriptomic and venom peptidomic/proteomic technologies combined with bioactivity screening approaches lead to the identification of new toxins with original pharmacological profiles. Here, from transcriptomic/proteomic analyses of the Conus consors cone snail, we identified a new conopeptide called τ-CnVA, which displays the typical cysteine framework V of the T1-conotoxin superfamily. This peptide was chemically synthesized and its three-dimensional structure was solved by NMR analysis and compared to that of TxVA belonging to the same family, revealing very few common structural features apart a common orientation of the intercysteine loop. Because of the lack of a clear biological function associated with the T-conotoxin family, τ-CnVA was screened against more than fifty different ion channels and receptors, highlighting its capacity to interact selectively with the somatostatine sst3 receptor. Pharmacological and functional studies show that τ-CnVA displays a micromolar (Ki of 1.5μM) antagonist property for the sst3 receptor, being currently the only known toxin to interact with this GPCR subfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Petrel
- CEA, iBiTecS, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, Laboratoire de Toxinologie Moléculaire et Biotechnologies, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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8
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Jitonnom J, Lomthaisong K, Lee VS. Computational Design of Peptide Inhibitor Based on Modifications of Proregion from Plutella xylostella Midgut Trypsin. Chem Biol Drug Des 2012; 79:583-93. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2011.01312.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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9
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Kaas Q, Westermann JC, Craik DJ. Conopeptide characterization and classifications: an analysis using ConoServer. Toxicon 2010; 55:1491-509. [PMID: 20211197 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2009] [Revised: 02/25/2010] [Accepted: 03/01/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cone snails are carnivorous marine gastropods that have evolved potent venoms to capture their prey. These venoms comprise a rich and diverse cocktail of peptide toxins, or conopeptides, whose high diversity has arisen from an efficient hypermutation mechanism, combined with a high frequency of post-translational modifications. Conopeptides bind with high specificity to distinct membrane receptors, ion channels, and transporters of the central and muscular nervous system. As well as serving their natural function in prey capture, conopeptides have been utilized as versatile tools in neuroscience and have proven valuable as drug leads that target the nervous system in humans. This paper examines current knowledge on conopeptide sequences based on an analysis of gene and peptide sequences in ConoServer (http://www.conoserver.org), a specialized database of conopeptide sequences and three-dimensional structures. We describe updates to the content and organization of ConoServer and discuss correlations between gene superfamilies, cysteine frameworks, pharmacological families targeted by conopeptides, and the phylogeny, habitat, and diet of cone snails. The study identifies gaps in current knowledge of conopeptides and points to potential directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Kaas
- The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Brisbane, 4072 QLD, Australia
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Zamora-Bustillos R, Aguilar MB, Falcón A, Heimer de la Cotera EP. Identification, by RT-PCR, of four novel T-1-superfamily conotoxins from the vermivorous snail Conus spurius from the Gulf of Mexico. Peptides 2009; 30:1396-404. [PMID: 19447151 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2009] [Revised: 05/05/2009] [Accepted: 05/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
cDNA was prepared from the venom duct of a single Conus spurius specimen collected near the coast of Campeche, Mexico. From it, PCR products were generated, sequenced, and predicted to encode eight distinct precursors of T-1-conotoxins. These precursors contain five different mature toxins, of which four are novel and one (sr5a) has been previously purified and characterized from the venom of this species. Three of the novel toxins are very similar to sr5a: two have one amino acid substitution at position 8, whereas the other is predicted to have one additional residue at the C-terminus; the fourth toxin has five amino acid substitutions and is predicted to have two additional residues at the C-terminus. In general, the precursors include a 22-residue signal peptide, a 24-residue "pro" region, and a 13- to 16-residue mature toxin region; however, the C-termini of two mature toxin regions are predicted to be altered by post-translational processing. Three precursors lack, in the same positions, 15 amino acid residues included in the "pre" (one residue) and "pro" (14 residues) regions, which suggests the existence of an exon encoding the last signal peptide residue and the first 14 residues of the "pro" region. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the T-1-conotoxin precursors and mature toxins of C. spurius are more similar to certain precursors and toxins from molluscivorous Conus species than to any precursors and toxins from vermivorous cones. The results reported here will be useful for synthesizing the novel toxins in order to identify their molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Zamora-Bustillos
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Marina, Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
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Peng C, Wu X, Han Y, Yuan D, Chi C, Wang C. Identification of six novel T-1 conotoxins from Conus pulicarius by molecular cloning. Peptides 2007; 28:2116-24. [PMID: 17933431 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2007] [Revised: 08/30/2007] [Accepted: 08/31/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cone snails are a group of ancient marine gastropods with highly sophisticated defense and prey strategies using conotoxins in their venom. Conotoxins are a diverse array of small peptides, mostly with multiple disulfide bridges. Using a 3' RACE approach, we identified six novel peptides from the venom ducts of a worm-hunting cone snail Conus pulicarius. These peptides are named Pu5.1-Pu5.6 as their primary structures show the typical pattern of T-1 conotoxin family, a large and diverse group of peptides widely distributed in venom ducts of all major feeding types of Conus. Except for the conserved signal peptide sequences in the precursors and unique arrangement of Cys residues (CC-CC) in mature domains, the six novel T-1 conotoxins show remarkable sequence diversity in their pro and mature regions and are, thus, likely to be functionally diversified. Here, we present a simple and fast strategy of gaining novel disulfide-rich conotoxins via molecular cloning and our detailed sequence analysis will pave the way for the future functional characterization of toxin-receptor interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Peng
- Institute of Protein Research, College of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, China
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