Structure and Biological Activity of a Turripeptide from Unedogemmula bisaya Venom

Biochemistry. 2017 Nov 14;56(45):6051-6060. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00485. Epub 2017 Nov 1.

Abstract

The turripeptide ubi3a was isolated from the venom of the marine gastropod Unedogemmula bisaya, family Turridae, by bioassay-guided purification; both native and synthetic ubi3a elicited prolonged tremors when injected intracranially into mice. The sequence of the peptide, DCCOCOAGAVRCRFACC-NH2 (O = 4-hydroxyproline) follows the framework III pattern for cysteines (CC-C-C-CC) in the M-superfamily of conopeptides. The three-dimensional structure determined by NMR spectroscopy indicated a disulfide connectivity that is not found in conopeptides with the cysteine framework III: C1-C4, C2-C6, C3-C5. The peptide inhibited the activity of the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor with relatively low affinity (IC50, 10.2 μM). Initial Constellation Pharmacology data revealed an excitatory activity of ubi3a on a specific subset of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Conotoxins / chemistry*
  • Conotoxins / isolation & purification
  • Conotoxins / pharmacology*
  • Conus Snail / chemistry*
  • Conus Snail / drug effects
  • Conus Snail / genetics
  • Conus Snail / growth & development
  • Female
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Ganglia, Spinal / drug effects
  • Ganglia, Spinal / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Oocytes / cytology
  • Oocytes / drug effects
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Conotoxins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • Calcium