Conotoxin and Conotoxin Analogues: A Pharmacy Cabinet under the Sea
A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Toxins".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2023) | Viewed by 12855
Special Issue Editors
Interests: peptide synthesis; bioactive peptides; disulphide mimetics; alkene and alkyne metathesis; green chemistry; sustainability
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The venom of marine cone snails contains a plethora of peptides with exquisite activity. These peptides, known as conotoxins, are short peptides with multiple disulphide bridges in a varied framework that constrains their structure. They also usually bear post-translational modifications such as the amidation of the C-terminus, the cyclisation of an N-terminal glutamine residue into pyroglutamic acid as well as hydroxylation, bromination, γ-carboxylation, and sulfation. Conotoxins interact with human ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors, and transporters in the nervous system which makes them appealing drug candidates.
Recent advances have been made in the understanding of the interactions between GABAB receptors and a-conotoxins. The mode of action of many other conotoxins is still elusive; however, a clear understanding is crucial for the design of analogues that are robust candidates in clinical trials and that can ultimately be developed as drugs.
This Special Issue invites contributions on the following topics: the identification and characterisation of novel conotoxins and synthesis of novel conotoxin analogues or small molecule mimetics with an improved pharmacological profile that can contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of action.
Dr. Alessia Belgi
Prof. Dr. Andrea Jane Robinson
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- conotoxin
- conotoxin analogue
- novel conotoxin
- conotoxin mimetic
- mode of action
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