Conotoxin diversification and evolution of venom peptides in cone snails

芋螺毒素的多样化和毒液肽的进化

• 批准号: DP200103087
• 负责人: Prof Richard Lewis
• 金额: $ 37.88万
• 依托单位: The University of Queensland
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2023-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP200103087
• 关键词: Conotoxin; diversification; evolution; venom; peptides

The marine snails of the genus Conus have evolved one of the most complex venoms that has emerged as a rich source of novel bioactive peptides. However, < 0.1% of their true potential has been characterised to-date. Using advanced genomic, proteomic, structural and pharmacological approaches pioneered in our laboratory, this study will decipher how conotoxin diversification from ancestral worm hunters facilitated the shift in diet to modern fish and mollusc hunting species by determining the evolutionary trajectories of positively selected conotoxins. Investigation of the structure and function of these highly optimised venom peptides will provide new research tools and potential leads to new pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

圆锥螺属的海洋蜗牛进化出了一种最复杂的毒液，这种毒液是一种丰富的新型生物活性多肽来源。然而，到目前为止，他们真正潜力的0.1%被刻画了出来。利用我们实验室开创的先进的基因组、蛋白质组、结构和药理学方法，这项研究将通过确定积极选择的芋螺毒素的进化轨迹，破译祖先猎虫者的芋螺毒素多样化如何促进饮食向现代鱼类和软体动物狩猎物种的转变。对这些高度优化的毒肽的结构和功能的研究将提供新的研究工具，并可能导致新的药物和农用化学品。