Sequence diversity of O-superfamily conopetides from Conus marmoreus native to Hainan

The full-length cDNAs of six new O-superfamily conotoxins (CTX) were cloned and sequenced from Conus marmoreus native to Hainan in China South Sea using RT-PCR and 3′-RACE. Six novel conotoxin precursors encoded by these cDNAs consist of three typical regions of signal, pro-peptide and mature peptide. All the six toxin regions share a common O-superfamily cysteine pattern (C-C-CC-C-C, with three disulfide bridges). The predicted precursors are composed of 73–88 amino acids, and the predicted mature peptides consist of 26–34 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis of new conotoxins from C. marmoreus from the present study and published homologue T-superfamily sequences from other Conus species was performed systematically. Patterns of sequence divergence for three regions of signal, pro-region and mature peptides, as well as Cys codon usage define the major O-superfamily branches and suggest how these separate branches arose. Percent identities of the amino acid sequences of the signal region exhibited high conservation, whereas the sequences of the mature peptides ranged from almost identical to highly divergent between inter- and intra-species. Notably, the diversity of the pro-region was also high with intermediate divergence between that observed in signal and toxin regions. Amino acid sequences and their mode of action (target) of previously identified conotoxins from molluscivorous C. marmoreus for the known conotoxins classes are discussed in detail. The data presented are new and should pave the way for chemical synthesis of these unique conotoxins for to allow determination of the molecular targets of these peptides, and also to provide clues for a better understanding of the phylogeny of these peptides.