Conus peptides--a rich pharmaceutical treasure.

Marine predatory cone snails (genus Conus) with over 500 species represent what is arguably the largest single genus of marine animals alive today. All Conus are venomous and utilize a complex mixture of Conus peptides to capture their preys and for other biological purposes. Each component of Conus peptides selectively targets a specific subtype of ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors or transporters. Owing to their diversity, more than 50,000 distinct active peptides are theoretically estimated in Conus venoms. These diversified toxins are generally categorized into several superfamilies and/or families based on their characteristic arrangements of cysteine residues and pharmacological actions. Some mechanisms underlying the remarkable diversity of Conus peptides have been postulated: the distinctive gene structure, gene duplication and/or allelic selection, genus speciation, and sophisticated expression pattern and post-translational modification of these peptides. Due to their highly pharmacological potency and target selectivity, Conus peptides have attracted extensive attention with their potentials to be developed as new research tools in neuroscience field and as novel medications in clinic for pain, epilepsy and other neuropathic disorders. Several instructive lessons for our drug development could be also learnt from these neuropharmacological "expertises". Conus peptides comprise a rich resource for neuropharmacologists, and most of them await to be explored.