Characterization and Recombinant Expression of Terebrid Venom Peptide from Terebra guttata by John Moon, Juliette Gorson, Mary Elizabeth Wright, Laurel Yee, Samer Khawaja, Hye Young Shin, Yasmine Karma, Rajeeva Lochan Musunri, Michelle Yun, Mande Holford

“…Tgu6.1 is a novel forty-four amino acid teretoxin peptide with a VI/VII cysteine framework (C–C–CC–C–C) similar to O, M and I conotoxin superfamilies. A ligation-independent cloning strategy with an ompT protease deficient strain of E. coli was employed to recombinantly produce Tgu6.1. …”
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Methodological development and applications of cyclic cysteine-rich peptides for drug design by He, Muxinya

“…For designing cyclic peptides, I studied synthetic cyclic ω-conotoxin MVII analogs as models to demonstrate the consequence of engineering a linear peptide to form a cyclic peptide. …”
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Synaptic retrograde regulation of the PKA-induced SNAP-25 and Synapsin-1 phosphorylation by Aleksandra Polishchuk, Víctor Cilleros-Mañé, Laia Just-Borràs, Marta Balanyà-Segura, Genís Vandellòs Pont, Carolina Silvera Simón, Marta Tomàs, Neus Garcia, Josep Tomàs, Maria A. Lanuza

“…Methods Accordingly, to study the effect of synaptic retrograde regulation of the PKA subunits and its activity, we stimulated the rat phrenic nerve (1 Hz, 30 min) resulting or not in contraction (abolished by µ-conotoxin GIIIB). Changes in protein levels and phosphorylation were detected by western blotting and cytosol/membrane translocation by subcellular fractionation. …”
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A multi-parameter approach to measurement of spontaneous myogenic contractions in human stomach: Utilization to assess potential modulators of myogenic contractions by Marilisa Straface, Marie-Ange Kouassi, Raj Makwana, Ellie Crawley, Alexandra Palmer, Weigang Cai, Armen Gharibans, Miriam Adebibe, John Loy, Greg O’Grady, Paul LR Andrews, Gareth J. Sanger

“…Initial characterization: Contractions (amplitude 4 ± 0.4mN, frequency 3 ± 0.1 min-1, n = 49) were unchanged by ꭃ-conotoxin GVIA (10-7 M) or indomethacin (10-6 M) but abolished by nifedipine (10-4 M). …”
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Activation of Voltage-Gated Na⁺ Current by GV-58, a Known Activator of Ca_V Channels by Hsin-Yen Cho, Pei-Chun Chen, Tzu-Hsien Chuang, Meng-Cheng Yu, Sheng-Nan Wu

“…The <i>I</i>_Na in response to brief depolarizing pulse was respectively stimulated or suppressed by GV-58 or tetrodotoxin, but it failed to be altered by ω-conotoxin MVIID. Cell exposure to this compound increased the recovery of <i>I</i>_Na inactivation evoked by two-pulse protocol based on a geometrics progression; however, in its presence, there was a slowing in the inactivation rate of current decay evoked by a train of depolarizing pulses. …”
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Synaptic Activity and Muscle Contraction Increases PDK1 and PKCβI Phosphorylation in the Presynaptic Membrane of the Neuromuscular Junction by Erica Hurtado, Víctor Cilleros, Laia Just, Anna Simó, Laura Nadal, Marta Tomàs, Neus Garcia, Maria A. Lanuza, Josep Tomàs

“…To differentiate the presynaptic and postsynaptic activities, we abolished muscle contraction with μ-conotoxin GIIIB (μ-CgTx-GIIIB) in some experiments before stimulation of the phrenic nerve (1 Hz, 30 min). …”
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Muscle Contraction Regulates BDNF/TrkB Signaling to Modulate Synaptic Function through Presynaptic cPKCα and cPKCβI by Erica Hurtado, Víctor Cilleros, Laura Nadal, Anna Simó, Teresa Obis, Neus Garcia, Manel M. Santafé, Marta Tomàs, Katherine Halievski, Cynthia L. Jordan, Maria A. Lanuza, Josep Tomàs

“…To differentiate the effects of presynaptic activity from that of muscle contraction, we stimulated the phrenic nerve of rat diaphragms (1 Hz, 30 min) with or without contraction (abolished by μ-conotoxin GIIIB). Then, we performed ELISA, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence and electrophysiological techniques. …”
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Identification of Novel Conopeptides and Distinct Gene Superfamilies in the Marine Cone Snail Conus quercinus by Han Zhang, Han Zhang, Han Zhang, Lei Wang, Xiang Yang, Xiang Yang, Xiang Yang, Zhiwei Lian, Zhiwei Lian, Yinbin Qiu, Yinbin Qiu, Zhanying Dong, Zhanying Dong, Xuedong Wu, Xuedong Wu, Xinghua Pan, Xinghua Pan, Xinghua Pan, Xinghua Pan

“…From the Que-MAMNV superfamily, a novel conotoxin, Que-0.1, was obtained via cloning and prokaryotic expression. …”
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Attenuation of Zn2+ Neurotoxicity by Aspirin: Role of N-Type Ca2+ Channel and the Carboxyl Acid Group by Eun Young Kim, Su-Youne Chang, Jun-Mo Chung, Bo Rum Ryu, Choun-Ki Joo, Ho-Sang Moon, Kyouwarn Kang, Sung-Hwa Yoon, Pyung-Lim Han, Byoung Joo Gwag

“…Aspirin interfered with inward currents and an increase in [Ca2+]i through VGCC and selective binding of ω-conotoxin, sensitive to N-type Ca2+ channel. The ω-conotoxins GVIA or MVIIC, the selective inhibitors of N-type Ca2+ channels, attenuated Zn2+ neurotoxicity. …”
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In Silico Identification of Protein Disulfide Isomerase Gene Families in the De Novo Assembled Transcriptomes of Four Different Species of the Genus Conus. by Andrea Figueroa-Montiel, Marco A Ramos, Rosa E Mares, Salvador Dueñas, Genaro Pimienta, Ernesto Ortiz, Lourival D Possani, Alexei F Licea-Navarro

“…The largest one is composed by peptides rich in disulfide bonds, and referred to as conotoxins. Despite the importance of conotoxins given their pharmacology value, little is known about the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) enzymes that are required to catalyze their correct folding. …”
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Monkey adrenal chromaffin cells express α6β4* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. by Alicia Hernández-Vivanco, Arik J Hone, Mick L Scadden, Beatriz Carmona-Hidalgo, J Michael McIntosh, Almudena Albillos

“…PCR was used to show the presence of transcripts for α6 and β4 subunits and pharmacological characterization was performed using patch-clamp electrophysiology in combination with α-conotoxins that target the α6β4* subtype. Acetylcholine-evoked currents were sensitive to inhibition by BuIA[T5A,P6O] and MII[H9A,L15A]; α-conotoxins that inhibit α6-containing nAChRs. …”
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Venom and antivenom by Warrell, D

“…The venoms of Red Sea carnivorous marine snails (genus Conus) contain 'conotoxins' which have effects on voltage sensitive calcium and sodium channels, acetylcholine receptors, the vasopressin receptor and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. …”

High-Throughput Prediction and Design of Novel Conopeptides for Biomedical Research and Development by Bingmiao Gao, Yu Huang, Chao Peng, Bo Lin, Yanling Liao, Chao Bian, Jiaan Yang, Qiong Shi

“…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. …”
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Mechanism of Ion Permeation in Mammalian Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels. by Somayeh Mahdavi, Serdar Kuyucak

“…Such a validated homology model for the NaV1.4 channel was constructed recently using the extensive mutagenesis data available for binding of μ-conotoxins. Here we use this NaV1.4 model to study the ion permeation mechanism in mammalian NaV channels. …”
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Human β-defensin 4 with non-native disulfide bridges exhibit antimicrobial activity. by Himanshu Sharma, Ramakrishnan Nagaraj

“…The cysteine framework was similar to the disulfide bridges present in μ-conotoxins, an unrelated class of peptide toxins. All the analogs possessed enhanced antimicrobial potency as compared to native HBD4. …”
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Antitumor effect of partially purified venom protein from Conus virgo on rat glioma cell line by Dhana Sekaran Ganesan, Dhasarathan Annadurai, Lakshmanan Vadakkuvaselvi, Kathirvel Neelan, Arulvasu Chinnasamy

“…Abstract Background Since many research works have been carried out to identify the pharmacological properties of conotoxins from many Conus sp. The pharmacological properties of higher molecular weight toxin from the venom of Conus sp. have been poorly elucidated. …”
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Localization and Bioreactivity of Cysteine-Rich Secretions in the Marine Gastropod <i>Nucella lapillus</i> by Mariaelena D’Ambrosio, Cátia Gonçalves, Mariana Calmão, Maria Rodrigues, Pedro M. Costa

“…Despite the auspices of conotoxins, which originated the paradigmatic painkiller Prialt, the biotechnological potential of gastropod venoms remains to be explored. …”
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Studies of Conorfamide-Sr3 on Human Voltage-Gated Kv1 Potassium Channel Subtypes by Estuardo López-Vera, Luis Martínez-Hernández, Manuel B. Aguilar, Elisa Carrillo, Joanna Gajewiak

“…Given the enormous variety of these channels and the proven use of conotoxins as tools to distinguish different ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels, in this work, we explored the possible effect of CNF-Sr3 on four human voltage-gated K⁺ channel subtypes homologous to the <i>Shaker</i> channel. …”
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Allosteric Modulator Leads Hiding in Plain Site: Developing Peptide and Peptidomimetics as GPCR Allosteric Modulators by Keith M. Olson, John R. Traynor, John R. Traynor, Andrew Alt, Andrew Alt

“…An underappreciated source for identifying AM leads are peptides and proteins—many of which were evolutionarily selected as AMs—derived from endogenous protein-protein interactions (e.g., transducer/accessory proteins), intramolecular receptor contacts (e.g., pepducins or extracellular domains), endogenous peptides, and exogenous libraries (e.g., nanobodies or conotoxins). Peptides offer distinct advantages over small molecules, including high affinity, good tolerability, and good bioactivity, and specific disadvantages, including relatively poor metabolic stability and bioavailability. …”
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Neurotoxic Syndromes in Marine Poisonings a Review by Gholam Hossein Mohebbi, Iraj Nabipour, Amir Vazirizadeh

“…Results: A number of neurotoxins that prescribed according to their potency (LD50) are: Maitotoxin, Ciguatoxins and Palytoxin, Tetrodotoxin and Saxitoxin, Brevetoxins, Azaspiracid, Yessotoxin, Cooliatoxin, Domoic acid and Conotoxins, Respectively. The primary target of most marine neurotoxins is voltage gated sodium channels and the resulting block of ion conductance through these channels. …”
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