Peptides Derived from Sea Anemones as Therapeutic and Bioinsecticide Candidates: Structural and Functional Studies

Sea anemone venoms are rich sources of peptide toxins that exhibit diverse biological activities. The thesis investigates peptides derived from sea anemones, focusing on their structural and functional properties. The project characterised the structure and activity of Avt1, a novel peptide sequence from of the sea anemone Aulactinia veratra, and further explore its potential insecticidal effects. In addition, the thesis examines the effect of molecular dynamics on the affinity of ShK, HmK, and their peptide analogues for KV1.3 channel. Finally, the structure-activity relationships of Tst2 peptide and its interaction with the TRPV1 channel were investigated.