Conformations of disulfides are conserved in inhibitory cystine knot (ICK) motif polypeptides

Shekh, Shamasoddin; Moi, Smriti; Govindu, Panchada Ch V; Gowd, Konkallu Hanumae

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.09.012

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…This peptide is characterized by the classical consensus sequence CIX 2–7 -CIIX 3–11 -CIIIX 0–7 -CIVX 1–17 -CVX 1–19 -CVI and characteristic CI-CIV, CII-CV, and CIII-CVI disulfide bonds (the cysteine residues are labeled I–VI in order from the N- to the C-terminus), where X represents amino acids of varying lengths [ 10 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Typically, ICK contains three disulfide bonds in a sequence, with two disulfides forming the loop and the third disulfide penetrating through the loop [ 18 ]. This structure possesses exceptional stability, rendering peptides with the ICK motif, particularly those with additional disulfide bonds, highly resistant to denaturation and proteolysis.…”

Section: Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Spider-Venom Peptides: Structure, Bioactivity, Strategy, and Research Applications

Guo,

Wang

et al. 2023

Molecules

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Spiders (Araneae), having thrived for over 300 million years, exhibit remarkable diversity, with 47,000 described species and an estimated 150,000 species in existence. Evolving with intricate venom, spiders are nature’s skilled predators. While only a small fraction of spiders pose a threat to humans, their venoms contain complex compounds, holding promise as drug leads. Spider venoms primarily serve to immobilize prey, achieved through neurotoxins targeting ion channels. Peptides constitute a major part of these venoms, displaying diverse pharmacological activities, and making them appealing for drug development. Moreover, spider-venom peptides have emerged as valuable tools for exploring human disease mechanisms. This review focuses on the roles of spider-venom peptides in spider survival strategies and their dual significance as pharmaceutical research tools. By integrating recent discoveries, it provides a comprehensive overview of these peptides, their targets, bioactivities, and their relevance in spider survival and medical research.

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