The cyclic contryphan motif CPxXPXC, a robust scaffold potentially useful as an omega-conotoxin mimic.
Pallaghy, P.K., Norton, R.S.(2000) Biopolymers 54: 173-179
- PubMed: 10861378 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0282(200009)54:3<173::AID-BIP30>3.0.CO;2-A
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1D7T - PubMed Abstract: 
Contryphan-R, from venom of the cone-shell Conus radiatus, represents a novel cyclic peptide scaffold onto which residues may be grafted to mimic unrelated protein surfaces. Three substitutions were made at the x and X positions of the disulfide-bridged motif CPxXPXC, where X and x represent any L- and D-handed residues, respectively, P represents proline or hydroxyproline, and C a half-cystine. These substitutions were designed to mimic part of the pharmacophore of the unrelated globular polypeptide omega-conotoxin GVIA, which blocks N-type calcium channels. The structure of this engineered contryphan, YNK-contryphan-R ([D-Tyr4, Asn5, Lys7]contryphan-R), is shown to be similar to that of native contryphan-R (Pallaghy et al., Biochemistry, 1999, Vol. 38, pp. 13553-13559), confirming that the scaffold is robust with respect to the multiple substitutions. In particular, the alpha-beta bond vectors characterising the orientation of the side chains relative to the backbone are similar in contryphan-R, YNK-contryphan-R, and omega-conotoxin GVIA, which is the required result for a scaffold-based approach to molecular design. The solution structure of YNK-contryphan-R has an N-terminal, nonhydrogen-bonded, chain reversal centered on Hyp3-D-Trp4, and a C-terminal type I beta-turn. A minor form due to cis-trans isomerism of the Hyp2-Cys3 peptide bond is present in YNK-contryphan-R in a larger proportion than in contryphan-R. It is evident, particularly from the (3)J(HalphaHN) coupling constants, that YNK-contryphan-R is more flexible than contryphan-R, probably due to the absence in YNK-contryphan-R of the Pro-Trp packing present in the native molecule. Nevertheless, the structure confirms that cyclic peptide molecular designs can achieve the intended conformations.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Biomolecular Research Institute, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Australia. Paul.Pallaghy@bioresi.com.au