Abstract
Background:Diverse and unique bioactive neurotoxins known as conopeptides or conotoxins are produced by venomous marine cone snails. Currently, these small and stable molecules are of great importance as research tools and platforms for discovering new drugs and therapeutics. Therefore, the characterization of Conus venom is of great significance, especially for poorly studied species. Methods:In this study, we used bioanalytical techniques to determine the venom profile and emphasize the functional composition of conopeptides in Conus taeniatus, a neglected worm-hunting cone snail. Results:The proteomic analysis revealed that 84.0% of the venom proteins were between 500 and 4,000 Da, and 16.0% were > 4,000 Da. In C. taeniatus venom, 234 peptide fragments were identified and classified as conotoxin precursors or non-conotoxin proteins. In this process, 153 conotoxin precursors were identified and matched to 23 conotoxin precursors and hormone superfamilies. Notably, the four conotoxin superfamilies T (22.87%), O1 (17.65%), M (13.1%) and O2 (9.8%) were the most abundant peptides in C. taeniatus venom, accounting for 63.40% of the total conotoxin diversity. On the other hand, 48 non-conotoxin proteins were identified in the venom of C. taeniatus. Moreover, several possibly biologically active peptide matches were identified, and putative applications of the peptides were assigned. Conclusion: Our study showed that the composition of the C. taeniatus-derived proteome is comparable to that of other Conus species and contains an effective mix of toxins, ionic channel inhibitors and antimicrobials. Additionally, it provides a guidepost for identifying novel conopeptides from the venom of C. taeniatus and discovering conopeptides of potential pharmaceutical importance.
Highlights
Diverse and unique bioactive neurotoxins known as conopeptides or conotoxins are produced by venomous marine cone snails
To study the total number of peptide profiles produced in the venom of C. taeniatus, an online LC/mass spectrometry (MS) equipped with an electrospray ion source (ESI) source (LCMS-IT-TOF; Shimadzu) was used to analyze quantified crude venom samples
The LC/MS spectra of the extracted crude venom from C. taeniatus demonstrate the remarkable complexity of conopeptides present in this species (Figure 2A and 2B)
Summary
Diverse and unique bioactive neurotoxins known as conopeptides or conotoxins are produced by venomous marine cone snails. These small and stable molecules are of great importance as research tools and platforms for discovering new drugs and therapeutics. Cone snails are venomous marine mollusks of the genus Conus that can produce small cysteine-rich peptides called conotoxins or conopeptides. These conopeptides display diverse pharmacological activities for prey capture, self-defense, competition, and other biological purposes [1,2]. Twelve families of conotoxins have been identified [18,22]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
