Drugs from slugs--past, present and future perspectives of omega-conotoxin research.
Peptides from the venom of carnivorous cone shells have provided six decades of intense research, which has led to the discovery and development of novel analgesic peptide therapeutics. Our understanding of this unique natural marine resource is however somewhat limited. Given the past pharmacological record, future investigations into the toxinology of these highly venomous tropical marine snails will undoubtedly yield other highly selective ion channel inhibitors and modulators. With over a thousand conotoxin-derived sequences identified to date, those identified as ion channel inhibitors represent only a small fraction of the total. Here we discuss our present understanding of conotoxins, focusing on the omega-conotoxin peptide family, and illustrate how such a seemingly simple snail has yielded a highly effective clinical drug.
Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. jbingham@hawaii.edu
Jon-Paul
JP
Bingham
Erin
E
Mitsunaga
Zachary L
ZL
Bergeron
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000700:Analgesics / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D052078:Conus Snail / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004341:Drug Evaluation / Q000639:trends; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D020960:omega-Conotoxins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000700:Analgesics; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020960:omega-Conotoxins