A novel M-superfamily conotoxin with a unique motif from Conus vexillum |
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Authors: | Jiang Hui Wang Cheng-Zhong Xu Chen-Qi Fan Chong-Xu Dai Xian-Dong Chen Ji-Sheng Chi Cheng-Wu |
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Institution: | Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. |
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Abstract: | Cone snails are tropical marine mollusks that envenomate prey with a complex mixture of neuropharmacologically active compounds for the purpose of feeding and defence, each evolved to act in a highly specific manner on different parts of the nervous system. Here, we report the peptide purification, molecular cloning, chemical synthesis, and functional characterization of a structurally unique toxin isolated from the venom of Conus vexillum. The novel peptide, designated Vx2, was composed of 21 amino acid residues cross-linked by 3 disulfide bonds (WIDPSHYCCCGGGCTDDCVNC). Intriguingly, its mature peptide sequence shows low level of similarity with other identified conotoxins, and its unique motif (-CCCGGGC-) was not reported in other Conus peptides. However, its signal peptide sequence shares high similarity with those of the M-superfamily conotoxins. Hence, Vx2 could be classified into a new family of the M-superfamily. |
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