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Michálek O, King GF, Pekár S. Prey specificity of predatory venoms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38991997 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Venom represents a key adaptation of many venomous predators, allowing them to immobilise prey quickly through chemical rather than physical warfare. Evolutionary arms races between prey and a predator are believed to be the main factor influencing the potency and composition of predatory venoms. Predators with narrowly restricted diets are expected to evolve specifically potent venom towards their focal prey, with lower efficacy on alternative prey. Here, we evaluate hypotheses on the evolution of prey-specific venom, focusing on the effect of restricted diet, prey defences, and prey resistance. Prey specificity as a potential evolutionary dead end is also discussed. We then provide an overview of the current knowledge on venom prey specificity, with emphasis on snakes, cone snails, and spiders. As the current evidence for venom prey specificity is still quite limited, we also overview the best approaches and methods for its investigation and provide a brief summary of potential model groups. Finally, possible applications of prey-specific toxins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Michálek
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
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2
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Luo A, He J, Yu J, Wu Y, Harvey PJ, Kasheverov IE, Kudryavtsev DS, McIntosh JM, Tsetlin VI, Craik DJ, Zhangsun D, Luo S. Aspartic acid mutagenesis of αO-Conotoxin GeXIVA isomers reveals arginine residues crucial for inhibition of the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132472. [PMID: 38772455 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The two most active disulfide bond isomers of the analgesic αO-conotoxin GeXIVA, namely GeXIVA[1, 2] and GeXIVA[1, 4], were subjected to Asp-scanning mutagenesis to determine the key amino acid residues for activity at the rat α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). These studies revealed the key role of arginine residues for the activity of GeXIVA isomers towards the α9α10 nAChR. Based on these results, additional analogues with 2-4 mutations were designed and tested. The analogues [T1A,D14A,V28K]GeXIVA[1, 2] and [D14A,I23A,V28K]GeXIVA[1, 4] were developed and showed sub-nanomolar activity for the α9α10 nAChR with IC50 values of 0.79 and 0.38 nM. The latter analogue had exceptional selectivity for the α9α10 receptor subtype over other nAChR subtypes and can be considered as a drug candidate for further development. Molecular dynamics of receptor-ligand complexes allowed us to make deductions about the possible causes of increases in the affinity of key GeXIVA[1, 4] mutants for the α9α10 nAChR.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jie He
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jinpeng Yu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Peta J Harvey
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Igor E Kasheverov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str. 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
| | - Denis S Kudryavtsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str. 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
| | - J Michael McIntosh
- Departments of Biology and Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, USA. George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, USA 84108
| | - Victor I Tsetlin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str. 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Sulan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
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3
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Raffaelli T, Wilson DT, Dutertre S, Giribaldi J, Vetter I, Robinson SD, Thapa A, Widi A, Loukas A, Daly NL. Structural analysis of a U-superfamily conotoxin containing a mini-granulin fold: Insights into key features that distinguish between the ICK and granulin folds. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107203. [PMID: 38508311 PMCID: PMC11035057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We are entering an exciting time in structural biology where artificial intelligence can be used to predict protein structures with greater accuracy than ever before. Extending this level of accuracy to the predictions of disulfide-rich peptide structures is likely to be more challenging, at least in the short term, given the tight packing of cysteine residues and the numerous ways that the disulfide bonds can potentially be linked. It has been previously shown in many cases that several disulfide bond connectivities can be accommodated by a single set of NMR-derived structural data without significant violations. Disulfide-rich peptides are prevalent throughout nature, and arguably the most well-known are those present in venoms from organisms such as cone snails. Here, we have determined the first three-dimensional structure and disulfide connectivity of a U-superfamily cone snail venom peptide, TxVIIB. TxVIIB has a VI/VII cysteine framework that is generally associated with an inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) fold; however, AlphaFold predicted that the peptide adopts a mini-granulin fold with a granulin disulfide connectivity. Our experimental studies using NMR spectroscopy and orthogonal protection of cysteine residues indicate that TxVIIB indeed adopts a mini-granulin fold but with the ICK disulfide connectivity. Our findings provide structural insight into the underlying features that govern formation of the mini-granulin fold rather than the ICK fold and will provide fundamental information for prediction algorithms, as the subtle complexity of disulfide isomers may be not adequately addressed by the current prediction algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziano Raffaelli
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - David T Wilson
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | | | | | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Samuel D Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ashvriya Thapa
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Antin Widi
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Norelle L Daly
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
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4
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Ratibou Z, Inguimbert N, Dutertre S. Predatory and Defensive Strategies in Cone Snails. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:94. [PMID: 38393171 PMCID: PMC10892987 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16020094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cone snails are carnivorous marine animals that prey on fish (piscivorous), worms (vermivorous), or other mollusks (molluscivorous). They produce a complex venom mostly made of disulfide-rich conotoxins and conopeptides in a compartmentalized venom gland. The pharmacology of cone snail venom has been increasingly investigated over more than half a century. The rising interest in cone snails was initiated by the surprising high human lethality rate caused by the defensive stings of some species. Although a vast amount of information has been uncovered on their venom composition, pharmacological targets, and mode of action of conotoxins, the venom-ecology relationships are still poorly understood for many lineages. This is especially important given the relatively recent discovery that some species can use different venoms to achieve rapid prey capture and efficient deterrence of aggressors. Indeed, via an unknown mechanism, only a selected subset of conotoxins is injected depending on the intended purpose. Some of these remarkable venom variations have been characterized, often using a combination of mass spectrometry and transcriptomic methods. In this review, we present the current knowledge on such specific predatory and defensive venoms gathered from sixteen different cone snail species that belong to eight subgenera: Pionoconus, Chelyconus, Gastridium, Cylinder, Conus, Stephanoconus, Rhizoconus, and Vituliconus. Further studies are needed to help close the gap in our understanding of the evolved ecological roles of many cone snail venom peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahrmina Ratibou
- CRIOBE, UAR CNRS-EPHE-UPVD 3278, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France;
| | - Nicolas Inguimbert
- CRIOBE, UAR CNRS-EPHE-UPVD 3278, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France;
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5
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Achimba F, Faezov B, Cohen B, Dunbrack R, Holford M. Targeting Dysregulated Ion Channels in Liver Tumors with Venom Peptides. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:139-147. [PMID: 38015557 PMCID: PMC10831335 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of cellular processes by ion channels has become central to the study of cancer mechanisms. Designing molecules that can modify ion channels specific to tumor cells is a promising area of targeted drug delivery and therapy. Despite their potential in drug discovery, venom peptides-a group of natural products-have largely remained understudied and under-characterized. In general, venom peptides display high specificity and selectivity for their target ion channels. Therefore, they may represent an effective strategy for selectively targeting the dysregulation of ion channels in tumor cells. This review examines existing venom peptide therapies for different cancer types and focuses on the application of snail venom peptides in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer worldwide. We provide insights into the mode of action of venom peptides that have been shown to target tumors. We also explore the benefit of using new computational methods like de novo protein structure prediction to screen venom peptides and identify potential druggable candidates. Finally, we summarize the role of cell culture, animal, and organoid models in developing effective therapies against HCC and highlight the need for creating models that represent the most disproportionately affected ethnicities in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Favour Achimba
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Bulat Faezov
- Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Brandon Cohen
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Roland Dunbrack
- Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mandë Holford
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York
- The PhD Program in Biology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, The American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
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6
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Zuo W, Kwok HF. Design of Bioengineered Peptides/Proteases as Anti-cancer Reagents with Integrated Omics and Machine Learning Approaches. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2747:295-309. [PMID: 38038948 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3589-6_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a heterogeneous disorder of uncontrolled growth of cells, which has proven to be a major burden worldwide. Many treatment options are available for cancer therapy, yet side effects and drug resistance remain major hurdles. Therefore, it is necessary to develop novel drugs for cancer therapy. Anti-cancer peptides (ACPs) are attractive candidates with remarkable potency, low toxicity, and high specificity advantages. However, traditional experimental identification of ACPs is time-consuming and expensive. Integrated omics combined with machine learning (ML) is considered a new powerful and cost-effective strategy to discover ACPs from natural products. In this chapter, we describe in detail experimental procedures for collecting both transcriptomic and proteomic data from venoms, followed by descriptive approaches to ML prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimin Zuo
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
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7
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Groome JR. Historical Perspective of the Characterization of Conotoxins Targeting Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:md21040209. [PMID: 37103349 PMCID: PMC10142487 DOI: 10.3390/md21040209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine toxins have potent actions on diverse sodium ion channels regulated by transmembrane voltage (voltage-gated ion channels) or by neurotransmitters (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor channels). Studies of these toxins have focused on varied aspects of venom peptides ranging from evolutionary relationships of predator and prey, biological actions on excitable tissues, potential application as pharmacological intervention in disease therapy, and as part of multiple experimental approaches towards an understanding of the atomistic characterization of ion channel structure. This review examines the historical perspective of the study of conotoxin peptides active on sodium channels gated by transmembrane voltage, which has led to recent advances in ion channel research made possible with the exploitation of the diversity of these marine toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Groome
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
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8
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Gao B, Huang Y, Peng C, Lin B, Liao Y, Bian C, Yang J, Shi Q. High-Throughput Prediction and Design of Novel Conopeptides for Biomedical Research and Development. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9895270. [PMID: 37850131 PMCID: PMC10521759 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9895270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cone snail venoms have been considered a valuable treasure for international scientists and businessmen, mainly due to their pharmacological applications in development of marine drugs for treatment of various human diseases. To date, around 800 Conus species are recorded, and each of them produces over 1,000 venom peptides (termed as conopeptides or conotoxins). This reflects the high diversity and complexity of cone snails, although most of their venoms are still uncharacterized. Advanced multiomics (such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics) approaches have been recently developed to mine diverse Conus venom samples, with the main aim to predict and identify potentially interesting conopeptides in an efficient way. Some bioinformatics techniques have been applied to predict and design novel conopeptide sequences, related targets, and their binding modes. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the high diversity of conopeptides and multiomics advances in high-throughput prediction of novel conopeptide sequences, as well as molecular modeling and design of potential drugs based on the predicted or validated interactions between these toxins and their molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518081, China
| | - Chao Peng
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518081, China
- BGI-Marine Research Institute for Biomedical Technology, Shenzhen Huahong Marine Biomedicine Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong 518119, China
| | - Bo Lin
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, China
| | - Yanling Liao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, China
| | - Chao Bian
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518081, China
| | - Jiaan Yang
- Research and Development Department, Micro Pharmtech Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518081, China
- BGI-Marine Research Institute for Biomedical Technology, Shenzhen Huahong Marine Biomedicine Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong 518119, China
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Tetramine in the Salivary Glands of Marine Carnivorous Snails: Analysis, Distribution, and Toxicological Aspects. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Focusing on tetramine, tetramethylammonium ion, contained in the salivary glands of marine carnivorous snails, this paper gives an overview of analytical methods, distribution in marine snails, and toxicological aspects. Some Neptunea snails have often caused food poisoning in North Atlantic and Northeast Asia regions, especially in Japan. The toxin of both N. arthritica and N. antiqua was first proven to be tetramine in 1960. Subsequent research on marine snail tetramine has progressed with the development of analytical methods. Of the various methods developed, the LC/ESI-MS method is most recommended for tetramine analysis in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and versatility. Accumulated data show that tetramine is ubiquitously contained at high concentrations (usually several mg/g) in the salivary glands of Neptunea snails. Tetramine is also found in the muscle and viscera of Neptunea snails and even in the salivary gland of marine snails other than Neptunea species, although mostly at low levels (below 0.1 mg/g). Interestingly, the major toxin in the salivary glands of Fusitriton oregonensis and Hemifusus tuba is distinguishable from tetramine. In tetramine poisoning, diverse symptoms attributable to the ganglion-blocking action of tetramine, such as visual disturbance, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, and nausea, develop within 30 min after ingestion of snails because of rapid absorption of tetramine from the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms are generally mild and subside in a short time (within 24 at most) because of rapid excretion through the kidney. However, it should be kept in mind that tetramine poisoning can be severe in patients with kidney dysfunction, as shown by two recent case reports. Finally, given the diffusion of tetramine from the salivary gland to the muscle during boiling and thawing of snails, removal of salivary glands from live snails is essential to avoid tetramine poisoning.
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Wang J, Guo H, Xu D, Yu C, Xv R, Wu Q, Di L, Cheng H, Duan J, Zhou J, Marcon E, Ma H. Cell affinity screening combined with nanoLC-MS/MS based peptidomics for identifying cancer cell binding peptides from Bufo Bufo gargarizans. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 206:114354. [PMID: 34509663 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Animal venoms contain many peptides with high specificity and selectivity against their protein targets, a characteristic which makes venoms an invaluable source of potential drugs. High-sensitivity mass spectrometry (MS)- based peptidomic platform has evolved as a predominant method for natural peptide drug discovery due to its strength for direct and rapid identification of peptides and peptide-associated post-translational modifications (PTMs). In this study, we used cell-affinity assays combined with nanoLC-MS/MS based peptidomics to identify cancer cell binding peptides (CBPs) from Bufo Bufo gargarizans. We identified 76 potential cell binding peptides and 237 non-affinity peptides in venom extracts from Asiatic toads, and some were verified with MS-parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) mode. These peptides were further analyzed and internalized within human cells and some demonstrated anti-tumor properties in vitro. These specific peptides might be used as templates for peptide-based drug design or optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hongbo Guo
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dihui Xu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chengli Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Functional Substances of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ruoxian Xv
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qinan Wu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Liuqing Di
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Haibo Cheng
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jinao Duan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Edyta Marcon
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Hongyue Ma
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
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11
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Vonk FJ, Bittenbinder MA, Kerkkamp HMI, Grashof DGB, Archer JP, Afonso S, Richardson MK, Kool J, van der Meijden A. A non-lethal method for studying scorpion venom gland transcriptomes, with a review of potentially suitable taxa to which it can be applied. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258712. [PMID: 34793470 PMCID: PMC8601437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion venoms are mixtures of proteins, peptides and small molecular compounds with high specificity for ion channels and are therefore considered to be promising candidates in the venoms-to-drugs pipeline. Transcriptomes are important tools for studying the composition and expression of scorpion venom. Unfortunately, studying the venom gland transcriptome traditionally requires sacrificing the animal and therefore is always a single snapshot in time. This paper describes a new way of generating a scorpion venom gland transcriptome without sacrificing the animal, thereby allowing the study of the transcriptome at various time points within a single individual. By comparing these venom-derived transcriptomes to the traditional whole-telson transcriptomes we show that the relative expression levels of the major toxin classes are similar. We further performed a multi-day extraction using our proposed method to show the possibility of doing a multiple time point transcriptome analysis. This allows for the study of patterns of toxin gene activation over time a single individual, and allows assessment of the effects of diet, season and other factors that are known or likely to influence intraindividual venom composition. We discuss the gland characteristics that may allow this method to be successful in scorpions and provide a review of other venomous taxa to which this method may potentially be successfully applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freek J. Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mátyás A. Bittenbinder
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harald M. I. Kerkkamp
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - John P. Archer
- CIBIO-InBIO, Biopolis, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO-InBIO, Biopolis, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Michael K. Richardson
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Ding F, Bai Y, Cheng Q, Yu S, Cheng M, Wu Y, Zhang X, Liang X, Gu X. Bidentatide, a Novel Plant Peptide Derived from Achyranthes bidentata Blume: Isolation, Characterization, and Neuroprotection through Inhibition of NR2B-Containing NMDA Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157977. [PMID: 34360755 PMCID: PMC8348887 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing attention is being focused on the use of polypeptide-based N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists for the treatment of nervous system disorders. In our study on Achyranthes bidentata Blume, we identified an NMDA receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) antagonist that exerts distinct neuroprotective actions. This antagonist is a 33 amino acid peptide, named bidentatide, which contains three disulfide bridges that form a cysteine knot motif. We determined the neuroactive potential of bidentatide by evaluating its in vitro effects against NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity. The results showed that pretreating primary cultured hippocampal neurons with bidentatide prevented NMDA-induced cell death and apoptosis via multiple mechanisms that involved intracellular Ca2+ inhibition, NMDA current inhibition, and apoptosis-related protein expression regulation. These mechanisms were all dependent on bidentatide-induced inhibitory regulation of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors; thus, bidentatide may contribute to the development of neuroprotective agents that would likely possess the high selectivity and safety profiles inherent in peptide drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ding
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, China; (F.D.); (Q.C.); (S.Y.)
| | - Yunpeng Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences of Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.B.); (M.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Qiong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, China; (F.D.); (Q.C.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, China; (F.D.); (Q.C.); (S.Y.)
| | - Mengchun Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences of Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.B.); (M.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yulin Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences of Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.B.); (M.C.); (Y.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, East Jinshui Road 156, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xiaozhe Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences of Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.B.); (M.C.); (Y.W.)
- Partner Group of Max Planck Society, Dalian 116023, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Xinmiao Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences of Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.B.); (M.C.); (Y.W.)
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Xiaosong Gu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, China; (F.D.); (Q.C.); (S.Y.)
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.L.); (X.G.)
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13
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Rajaian Pushpabai R, Wilson Alphonse CR, Mani R, Arun Apte D, Franklin JB. Diversity of Conopeptides and Conoenzymes from the Venom Duct of the Marine Cone Snail Conus bayani as Determined from Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:202. [PMID: 33916793 PMCID: PMC8066144 DOI: 10.3390/md19040202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine cone snails are predatory gastropods characterized by a well-developed venom apparatus and highly evolved hunting strategies that utilize toxins to paralyze prey and defend against predators. The venom of each species of cone snail has a large number of pharmacologically active peptides known as conopeptides or conotoxins that are usually unique in each species. Nevertheless, venoms of only very few species have been characterized so far by transcriptomic approaches. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing technologies and mass spectrometric methods to describe the diversity of venom components expressed by a worm-hunting species, Conus bayani. A total of 82 conotoxin sequences were retrieved from transcriptomic data that contain 54 validated conotoxin sequences clustered into 21 gene superfamilies including divergent gene family, 17 sequences clustered to 6 different conotoxin classes, and 11 conotoxins classified as unassigned gene family. Seven new conotoxin sequences showed unusual cysteine patterns. We were also able to identify 19 peptide sequences using mass spectrometry that completely overlapped with the conotoxin sequences obtained from transcriptome analysis. Importantly, herein we document the presence of 16 proteins that include five post-translational modifying enzymes obtained from transcriptomic data. Our results revealed diverse and novel conopeptides of an unexplored species that could be used extensively in biomedical research due to their therapeutic potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Rajaian Pushpabai
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Carlton Ranjith Wilson Alphonse
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Rajasekar Mani
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Deepak Arun Apte
- Department of Marine Conservation, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Sálim Ali Chowk, SBS Road, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra, India;
| | - Jayaseelan Benjamin Franklin
- Department of Marine Conservation, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Sálim Ali Chowk, SBS Road, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra, India;
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14
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Wu Y, Qiang Y, Zhang G, Zhou M. Acute toxicity and micronucleus test of conotoxin lt14a in mice. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2021; 129:52-60. [PMID: 33742558 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Conotoxins, which target ion channels or neurotransmitter receptors with high specificity, are valuable in drug development for pain, epilepsy and other neurological diseases. However, the toxicology of conotoxins is rarely reported. In this study, we primarily researched parts of the pharmacological and toxicological properties of an analgesic conotoxin lt14a. Three doses of lt14a (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) could prolong the pentobarbital-induced sleep time of mice and showed no significant effect on the spontaneous locomotor activity of mice. Three doses of lt14a (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) did not increase micronucleus rate in the micronucleus test. In addition, three doses of lt14a (200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) showed no pathological change on the heart or brain of mice in the acute toxicity test. The high dose of lt14a (1000 times the effective analgesic dose) had a certain damaging effect on the liver and lung according to serological detection and histopathology. As part of the preclinical studies, our results provide acute toxicity and mutagenicity evaluation of the promising analgesic conotoxin lt14a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China.,National Engineering Research Center of South China Sea Marine Biotechnology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qiang
- National Engineering Research Center of South China Sea Marine Biotechnology, Guangzhou, China.,Ningxia Key Laboratory for Cerebrocranical Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Guangxian Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center of South China Sea Marine Biotechnology, Guangzhou, China.,China School of Fundamental Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maojun Zhou
- National Engineering Research Center of South China Sea Marine Biotechnology, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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15
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Torres JP, Lin Z, Watkins M, Salcedo PF, Baskin RP, Elhabian S, Safavi-Hemami H, Taylor D, Tun J, Concepcion GP, Saguil N, Yanagihara AA, Fang Y, McArthur JR, Tae HS, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Özpolat BD, Olivera BM, Schmidt EW. Small-molecule mimicry hunting strategy in the imperial cone snail, Conus imperialis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/11/eabf2704. [PMID: 33712468 PMCID: PMC7954447 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf2704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Venomous animals hunt using bioactive peptides, but relatively little is known about venom small molecules and the resulting complex hunting behaviors. Here, we explored the specialized metabolites from the venom of the worm-hunting cone snail, Conus imperialis Using the model polychaete worm Platynereis dumerilii, we demonstrate that C. imperialis venom contains small molecules that mimic natural polychaete mating pheromones, evoking the mating phenotype in worms. The specialized metabolites from different cone snails are species-specific and structurally diverse, suggesting that the cones may adopt many different prey-hunting strategies enabled by small molecules. Predators sometimes attract prey using the prey's own pheromones, in a strategy known as aggressive mimicry. Instead, C. imperialis uses metabolically stable mimics of those pheromones, indicating that, in biological mimicry, even the molecules themselves may be disguised, providing a twist on fake news in chemical ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Torres
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Zhenjian Lin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
| | - Maren Watkins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Paula Flórez Salcedo
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Robert P Baskin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Shireen Elhabian
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, School of Computing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Helena Safavi-Hemami
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Dylan Taylor
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jortan Tun
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Gisela P Concepcion
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
| | - Noel Saguil
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Angel A Yanagihara
- Department of Tropical Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Yixin Fang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jeffrey R McArthur
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Han-Shen Tae
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | | | - Baldomero M Olivera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Eric W Schmidt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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16
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Identification of Conomarphin Variants in the Conus eburneus Venom and the Effect of Sequence and PTM Variations on Conomarphin Conformations. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18100503. [PMID: 33019526 PMCID: PMC7601563 DOI: 10.3390/md18100503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine cone snails belonging to the Conidae family make use of neuroactive peptides in their venom to capture prey. Here we report the proteome profile of the venom duct of Conus eburneus, a cone snail belonging to the Tesseliconus clade. Through tandem mass spectrometry and database searching against the C. eburneus transcriptome and the ConoServer database, we identified 24 unique conopeptide sequences in the venom duct. The majority of these peptides belong to the T and M gene superfamilies and are disulfide-bonded, with cysteine frameworks V, XIV, VI/VII, and III being the most abundant. All seven of the Cys-free peptides are conomarphin variants belonging to the M superfamily that eluted out as dominant peaks in the chromatogram. These conomarphins vary not only in amino acid residues in select positions along the backbone but also have one or more post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as proline hydroxylation, C-term amidation, and γ-carboxylation of glutamic acid. Using molecular dynamics simulations, the conomarphin variants were predicted to predominantly have hairpin-like or elongated structures in acidic pH. These two structures were found to have significant differences in electrostatic properties and the inclusion of PTMs seems to complement this disparity. The presence of polar PTMs (hydroxyproline and γ-carboxyglutamic acid) also appear to stabilize hydrogen bond networks in these conformations. Furthermore, these predicted structures are pH sensitive, becoming more spherical and compact at higher pH. The subtle conformational variations observed here might play an important role in the selection and binding of the peptides to their molecular targets.
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17
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Li X, Chen W, Zhangsun D, Luo S. Diversity of Conopeptides and Their Precursor Genes of Conus Litteratus. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18090464. [PMID: 32937857 PMCID: PMC7551347 DOI: 10.3390/md18090464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The venom of various Conus species is composed of a rich variety of unique bioactive peptides, commonly referred to as conotoxins (conopeptides). Most conopeptides have specific receptors or ion channels as physiologically relevant targets. In this paper, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing was performed to analyze putative conotoxin transcripts from the venom duct of a vermivorous cone snail species, Conus litteratus native to the South China Sea. A total of 128 putative conotoxins were identified, most of them belonging to 22 known superfamilies, with 43 conotoxins being regarded as belonging to new superfamilies. Notably, the M superfamily was the most abundant in conotoxins among the known superfamilies. A total of 15 known cysteine frameworks were also described. The largest proportion of cysteine frameworks were VI/VII (C-C-CC-C-C), IX (C-C-C-C-C-C) and XIV (C-C-C-C). In addition, five novel cysteine patterns were also discovered. Simple sequence repeat detection results showed that di-nucleotide was the major type of repetition, and the codon usage bias results indicated that the codon usage bias of the conotoxin genes was weak, but the M, O1, O2 superfamilies differed in codon preference. Gene cloning indicated that there was no intron in conotoxins of the B1- or J superfamily, one intron with 1273-1339 bp existed in a mature region of the F superfamily, which is different from the previously reported gene structure of conotoxins from other superfamilies. This study will enhance our understanding of conotoxin diversity, and the new conotoxins discovered in this paper will provide more potential candidates for the development of pharmacological probes and marine peptide drugs.
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18
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Gallo A, Boni R, Tosti E. Neurobiological activity of conotoxins via sodium channel modulation. Toxicon 2020; 187:47-56. [PMID: 32877656 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Conotoxins (CnTX) are bioactive peptides produced by marine molluscs belonging to Conus genus. The biochemical structure of these venomous peptides is characterized by a low number of amino acids linked with disulfide bonds formed by a high degree of post-translational modifications and glycosylation steps which increase the diversity and rate of evolution of these molecules. CnTX different isoforms are known to target ion channels and, in particular, voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels (Nav channels). These are transmembrane proteins fundamental in excitable cells for generating the depolarization of plasma membrane potential known as action potential which propagates electrical signals in muscles and nerves for physiological functions. Disorders in Nav channel activity have been shown to induce neurological pathologies and pain states. Here, we describe the current knowledge of CnTX isoform modulation of the Nav channel activity, the mechanism of action and the potential therapeutic use of these toxins in counteracting neurological dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Gallo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
| | - Raffele Boni
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Tosti
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
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19
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Wilson DT, Bansal PS, Carter DA, Vetter I, Nicke A, Dutertre S, Daly NL. Characterisation of a Novel A-Superfamily Conotoxin. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8050128. [PMID: 32443665 PMCID: PMC7277881 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8050128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conopeptides belonging to the A-superfamily from the venomous molluscs, Conus, are typically α-conotoxins. The α-conotoxins are of interest as therapeutic leads and pharmacological tools due to their selectivity and potency at nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. Structurally, the α-conotoxins have a consensus fold containing two conserved disulfide bonds that define the two-loop framework and brace a helical region. Here we report on a novel α-conotoxin Pl168, identified from the transcriptome of Conus planorbis, which has an unusual 4/8 loop framework. Unexpectedly, NMR determination of its three-dimensional structure reveals a new structural type of A-superfamily conotoxins with a different disulfide-stabilized fold, despite containing the conserved cysteine framework and disulfide connectivity of classical α-conotoxins. The peptide did not demonstrate activity on a range of nAChRs, or Ca2+ and Na+ channels suggesting that it might represent a new pharmacological class of conotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. Wilson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - Paramjit S. Bansal
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - David A. Carter
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.A.C.); (I.V.)
| | - Irina Vetter
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.A.C.); (I.V.)
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Annette Nicke
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Nußbaumstraße 26, 80336 Munich, Germany;
| | - Sébastien Dutertre
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France;
| | - Norelle L. Daly
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-4232-1815
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20
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Klein AH, Ballard KR, Storey KB, Motti CA, Zhao M, Cummins SF. Multi-omics investigations within the Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda: from ecological application to breakthrough phylogenomic studies. Brief Funct Genomics 2020; 18:377-394. [PMID: 31609407 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastropods are the largest and most diverse class of mollusc and include species that are well studied within the areas of taxonomy, aquaculture, biomineralization, ecology, microbiome and health. Gastropod research has been expanding since the mid-2000s, largely due to large-scale data integration from next-generation sequencing and mass spectrometry in which transcripts, proteins and metabolites can be readily explored systematically. Correspondingly, the huge data added a great deal of complexity for data organization, visualization and interpretation. Here, we reviewed the recent advances involving gastropod omics ('gastropodomics') research from hundreds of publications and online genomics databases. By summarizing the current publicly available data, we present an insight for the design of useful data integrating tools and strategies for comparative omics studies in the future. Additionally, we discuss the future of omics applications in aquaculture, natural pharmaceutical biodiscovery and pest management, as well as to monitor the impact of environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne H Klein
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia
| | - Kaylene R Ballard
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Cherie A Motti
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Cape Ferguson, Townsville Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Min Zhao
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia
| | - Scott F Cummins
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia
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21
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Himaya SWA, Rai SK, Pamfili G, Jin AH, Alewood PF, Lewis RJ. Venomic Interrogation Reveals the Complexity of Conus striolatus Venom. Aust J Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/ch19588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Given the complexity of cone snail venoms, high throughput venomics approaches are required to fully investigate venom composition, envenomation strategies, and evolutionary trajectories. This study describes 158 conotoxins in the venom transcriptome of the little studied C. striolatus from the fish hunting clade Pionoconus. Despite similar gene superfamily distributions along the venom duct, only 18 common transcripts were identified between distal, central, and proximal venom duct transcriptomes. Proteomic analysis of the injected predatory venom collected from the same individual revealed an ~18-fold enhanced complexity at the proteomic level, consistent with complex post-translational modifications and variable venom peptide processing occurring in the venom duct. Overall, C. striolatus venom was dominated by M, O1, O2, and A gene superfamily conotoxins and conkunitzins, which are potential modulators of sodium, calcium, and potassium channels. Conkunitzins and gene superfamily A peptides dominated the proximal over the distal duct, the M and O1 gene superfamily peptides were distributed along the full length of the duct, while the O2 gene superfamily peptides dominated the distal duct. Interestingly, the predatory injected venom of C. striolatus was dominated by peptides from gene superfamilies M, O1, O2, A, and conkunitzins, suggesting the predatory venom of C. striolatus may arise at multiple sites along the venom duct.
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22
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Jin AH, Muttenthaler M, Dutertre S, Himaya SWA, Kaas Q, Craik DJ, Lewis RJ, Alewood PF. Conotoxins: Chemistry and Biology. Chem Rev 2019; 119:11510-11549. [PMID: 31633928 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The venom of the marine predatory cone snails (genus Conus) has evolved for prey capture and defense, providing the basis for survival and rapid diversification of the now estimated 750+ species. A typical Conus venom contains hundreds to thousands of bioactive peptides known as conotoxins. These mostly disulfide-rich and well-structured peptides act on a wide range of targets such as ion channels, G protein-coupled receptors, transporters, and enzymes. Conotoxins are of interest to neuroscientists as well as drug developers due to their exquisite potency and selectivity, not just against prey but also mammalian targets, thereby providing a rich source of molecular probes and therapeutic leads. The rise of integrated venomics has accelerated conotoxin discovery with now well over 10,000 conotoxin sequences published. However, their structural and pharmacological characterization lags considerably behind. In this review, we highlight the diversity of new conotoxins uncovered since 2014, their three-dimensional structures and folds, novel chemical approaches to their syntheses, and their value as pharmacological tools to unravel complex biology. Additionally, we discuss challenges and future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Hua Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia.,Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry , University of Vienna , 1090 Vienna , Austria
| | - Sebastien Dutertre
- Département des Acides Amines, Peptides et Protéines, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5247, Université Montpellier 2-Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique , Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron , Place Eugène Bataillon , 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5 , France
| | - S W A Himaya
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane Queensland 4072 , Australia
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23
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Morales Duque H, Campos Dias S, Franco OL. Structural and Functional Analyses of Cone Snail Toxins. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17060370. [PMID: 31234371 PMCID: PMC6628382 DOI: 10.3390/md17060370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone snails are marine gastropod mollusks with one of the most powerful venoms in nature. The toxins, named conotoxins, must act quickly on the cone snails´ prey due to the fact that snails are extremely slow, reducing their hunting capability. Therefore, the characteristics of conotoxins have become the object of investigation, and as a result medicines have been developed or are in the trialing process. Conotoxins interact with transmembrane proteins, showing specificity and potency. They target ion channels and ionotropic receptors with greater regularity, and when interaction occurs, there is immediate physiological decompensation. In this review we aimed to evaluate the structural features of conotoxins and the relationship with their target types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Morales Duque
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília-DF 70.790-160, Brazil.
| | - Simoni Campos Dias
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília-DF 70.790-160, Brazil.
| | - Octávio Luiz Franco
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília-DF 70.790-160, Brazil.
- S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande-MS 79.117-900, Brazil.
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24
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Gao B, Peng C, Zhu Y, Sun Y, Zhao T, Huang Y, Shi Q. High Throughput Identification of Novel Conotoxins from the Vermivorous Oak Cone Snail ( Conus quercinus) by Transcriptome Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123901. [PMID: 30563163 PMCID: PMC6321112 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary objective of this study was to realize the large-scale discovery of conotoxin sequences from different organs (including the venom duct, venom bulb and salivary gland) of the vermivorous Oak cone snail, Conus quercinus. Using high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, we identified 133 putative conotoxins that belong to 34 known superfamilies, of which nine were previously reported while the remaining 124 were novel conotoxins, with 17 in new and unassigned conotoxin groups. A-, O1-, M-, and I2- superfamilies were the most abundant, and the cysteine frameworks XIII and VIII were observed for the first time in the A- and I2-superfamilies. The transcriptome data from the venom duct, venom bulb and salivary gland showed considerable inter-organizational variations. Each organ had many exclusive conotoxins, and only seven of all the inferred mature peptides were common in the three organs. As expected, most of the identified conotoxins were synthesized in the venom duct at relatively high levels; however, a number of conotoxins were also identified in the venom bulb and the salivary gland with very low transcription levels. Therefore, various organs have different conotoxins with high diversity, suggesting greater contributions from several organs to the high-throughput discovery of new conotoxins for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingmiao Gao
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Herbs, College of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China.
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Chao Peng
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Yabing Zhu
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Yuhui Sun
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Tian Zhao
- Chemistry Department, College of Art and Science, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Yu Huang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
- BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
- BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518083, China.
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25
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Fu Y, Li C, Dong S, Wu Y, Zhangsun D, Luo S. Discovery Methodology of Novel Conotoxins from Conus Species. Mar Drugs 2018; 16:md16110417. [PMID: 30380764 PMCID: PMC6266589 DOI: 10.3390/md16110417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone snail venoms provide an ideal resource for neuropharmacological tools and drug candidates discovery, which have become a research hotspot in neuroscience and new drug development. More than 1,000,000 natural peptides are produced by cone snails, but less than 0.1% of the estimated conotoxins has been characterized to date. Hence, the discovery of novel conotoxins from the huge conotoxin resources with high-throughput and sensitive methods becomes a crucial key for the conotoxin-based drug development. In this review, we introduce the discovery methodology of new conotoxins from various Conus species. It focuses on obtaining full N- to C-terminal sequences, regardless of disulfide bond connectivity through crude venom purification, conotoxin precusor gene cloning, venom duct transcriptomics, venom proteomics and multi-omic methods. The protocols, advantages, disadvantages, and developments of different approaches during the last decade are summarized and the promising prospects are discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Fu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Cheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Shuai Dong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Yong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Sulan Luo
- Key Laboratory for Marine Drugs of Haikou, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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26
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Nicosia A, Mikov A, Cammarata M, Colombo P, Andreev Y, Kozlov S, Cuttitta A. The Anemonia viridis Venom: Coupling Biochemical Purification and RNA-Seq for Translational Research. Mar Drugs 2018; 16:E407. [PMID: 30366463 PMCID: PMC6266578 DOI: 10.3390/md16110407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Blue biotechnologies implement marine bio-resources for addressing practical concerns. The isolation of biologically active molecules from marine animals is one of the main ways this field develops. Strikingly, cnidaria are considered as sustainable resources for this purpose, as they possess unique cells for attack and protection, producing an articulated cocktail of bioactive substances. The Mediterranean sea anemone Anemonia viridis has been studied extensively for years. In this short review, we summarize advances in bioprospecting of the A. viridis toxin arsenal. A. viridis RNA datasets and toxin data mining approaches are briefly described. Analysis reveals the major pool of neurotoxins of A. viridis, which are particularly active on sodium and potassium channels. This review therefore integrates progress in both RNA-Seq based and biochemical-based bioprospecting of A. viridis toxins for biotechnological exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Nicosia
- National Research Council-Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Capo Granitola, Via del mare, Campobello di Mazara (TP), 91021 Sicily, Italy.
| | - Alexander Mikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, GSP-7, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Matteo Cammarata
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Paolo Colombo
- Istituto di Biomedicina e di Immunologia Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Yaroslav Andreev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, GSP-7, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Sergey Kozlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, GSP-7, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Angela Cuttitta
- National Research Council-Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Capo Granitola, Via del mare, Campobello di Mazara (TP), 91021 Sicily, Italy.
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27
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Wilson D, Daly NL. Venomics: A Mini-Review. High Throughput 2018; 7:E19. [PMID: 30041430 PMCID: PMC6164461 DOI: 10.3390/ht7030019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Venomics is the integration of proteomic, genomic and transcriptomic approaches to study venoms. Advances in these approaches have enabled increasingly more comprehensive analyses of venoms to be carried out, overcoming to some extent the limitations imposed by the complexity of the venoms and the small quantities that are often available. Advances in bioinformatics and high-throughput functional assay screening approaches have also had a significant impact on venomics. A combination of all these techniques is critical for enhancing our knowledge on the complexity of venoms and their potential therapeutic and agricultural applications. Here we highlight recent advances in these fields and their impact on venom analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wilson
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular, Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia.
| | - Norelle L Daly
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular, Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia.
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28
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Starobova H, S. W. A. H, Lewis RJ, Vetter I. Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies. Mol Omics 2018; 14:389-404. [DOI: 10.1039/c8mo00181b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Physiological and pathological pain involves a complex interplay of multiple cell types and signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Starobova
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - Himaya S. W. A.
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - R. J. Lewis
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - I. Vetter
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
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