Non-Peptidic Small Molecule Components from Cone Snail Venoms.

摘要: Venomous molluscs (Superfamily Conoidea) comprise a substantial fraction of tropical marine biodiversity (>15,000 species). Prior characterization cone snail venoms established that bioactive venom components used to capture prey, defend against predators and for competitive interactions were relatively small, structured peptides (10-35 amino acids), most with multiple disulfide crosslinks. These ("conotoxins, conopeptides") have been widely studied in many laboratories, leading pharmaceutical agents probes. In this review, we describe how it has recently become clear varying degrees, also contain non-peptidic small molecule components. Since the initial discovery genuanine as first an unprecedented structure, broad set examined particular, basal clade snails (Stephanoconus) prey on polychaetes produce other molecules their venoms, suggesting lineage may be rich source natural products. contrast standing dogma field peptide proteins are predominantly snails, these contribute push molecular diversity beyond peptides. The compounds so far characterized active neurons thus potentially serve leads neuronal diseases. Thus, analogy incredible pharmacopeia resulting from studying peptides, provide new resource pharmacological agents.