title: Novel peptides of therapeutic promise from Indian Conidae.
abstract: Highly structured small peptides are the major toxic constituents of the venom of cone snails, a family of widely distributed predatory marine molluscs. These animals use the venom for rapid prey immobilization. The peptide components in the venom target a wide variety of membrane-bound ion channels and receptors. Many have been found to be highly selective for a diverse range of mammalian ion channels and receptors associated with pain-signaling pathways. Their small size, structural stability, and target specificity make them attractive pharmacologic agents. A select number of laboratories mainly from the United States, Europe, Australia, Israel, and China have been engaged in intense drug discovery programs based on peptides from a few snail species. Coastal India has an estimated 20-30% of the known cone species; however, few serious studies have been reported so far. We have begun a comprehensive program for the identification and characterization of peptides from cone snails found in Indian Coastal waters. This presentation reviews our progress over the last 2 years. As expected from the evolutionary history of these venom components, our search has yielded novel peptides of therapeutic promise from the new species that we have studied.
authors.affiliation: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai, 40005, India.
authors.forename: K Hanumae
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Gowd
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sabareesh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudarslal
authors.forename: Prathima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iengar
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: Kalyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dewan
authors.forename: Mani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramaswami
authors.forename: Siddhartha P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sarma
authors.forename: Sujit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sikdar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balaram
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007194:India; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008974:Mollusca; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D007473:Ion Channels; D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C102355:contryphan