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Wiere S, Sugai C, Espiritu MJ, Aurelio VP, Reyes CD, Yuzon N, Whittal RM, Tytgat J, Peigneur S, Bingham JP. Research into the Bioengineering of a Novel α-Conotoxin from the Milked Venom of Conus obscurus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12096. [PMID: 36292948 PMCID: PMC9602734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine cone snail produces one of the fastest prey strikes in the animal kingdom. It injects highly efficacious venom, often causing prey paralysis and death within seconds. Each snail has hundreds of conotoxins, which serve as a source for discovering and utilizing novel analgesic peptide therapeutics. In this study, we discovered, isolated, and synthesized a novel α3/5-conotoxins derived from the milked venom of Conus obscurus (α-conotoxin OI) and identified the presence of α-conotoxin SI-like sequence previously found in the venom of Conus striatus. Five synthetic analogs of the native α-conotoxin OI were generated. These analogs incorporated single residue or double residue mutations. Three synthetic post-translational modifications (PTMs) were synthetically incorporated into these analogs: N-terminal truncation, proline hydroxylation, and tryptophan bromination. The native α-conotoxin OI demonstrated nanomolar potency in Poecilia reticulata and Homosapiens muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) isoforms. Moreover, the synthetic α-[P9K] conotoxin OI displayed enhanced potency in both bioassays, ranging from a 2.85 (LD50) to 18.4 (IC50) fold increase in comparative bioactivity. The successful incorporation of PTMs, with retention of both potency and nAChR isoform selectivity, ultimately pushes new boundaries of peptide bioengineering and the generation of novel α-conotoxin-like sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Wiere
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Christopher Sugai
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Michael J. Espiritu
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- School of Pharmacy, Pacific University Oregon, Hillsboro, OR 97123, USA
| | - Vincent P. Aurelio
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Chloe D. Reyes
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Nicole Yuzon
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Randy M. Whittal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jon-Paul Bingham
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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