Conotoxin Superfamily

Conotoxin precursors are numerous and divergent in sequence, but they usually have 60 - 120 aas with an N-terminal TMS. They are processed to the active toxin that targets a variety of channels and receptors (SD Robinson and RS Norton, Mar. Drugs 2014, 12, 6058-6101. This Superfamily may be related to the Defensin and Huwentoxin Superfamilies. Conotoxins (CnTX) are bioactive peptides produced by marine molluscs belonging to Conus genus. The structures of these venomous peptides are linked with disulfide bonds formed by a high degree of post-translational modifications and glycosylation steps which increase the diversity and rates of their evolution (A. Gallo et al, 2020 PMID 32877656). A historical perspective of Conotoxins targeting voltage-gated sodium channels has appeared (Groome, 2023, PMID 37103349).