<p>Contryphans are a family of short disulphide constrained peptides isolated from various species of cone shell. They constitute a group of conopeptides that are known to contain an unusual density of post-translational modifications including tryptophan bromination, amidation of the C-terminal residue, leucine and tryptophan isomerisation, proline hydroxylation and glutamic acid gamma-carboxylation [<cite idref="PUB00024204"/>, <cite idref="PUB00033825"/>, <cite idref="PUB00029262"/>, <cite idref="PUB00033826"/>, <cite idref="PUB00033827"/>]. </p><p>Contryphans share the conserved sequence motif, CP(D-W or D-L)XPWC, that includes a tryptophan or leucine in the D-conformation, a disulphide bond between the two cysteines, and in some cases, hydroxylation of the proline preceding the D-Trp residue. The N-terminal Cys-Pro/Hyp (hydroxyproline) peptide bond exhibits cis-trans isomerisation in most contryphans; however the more abundant cis isomer is believed to be the functionally relevant conformer. The contryphan fold consists of a seven residue loop stabilised by a disulphide bridge [<cite idref="PUB00024204"/>, <cite idref="PUB00029262"/>, <cite idref="PUB00033827"/>]. </p><p>This family includes:</p> <ul><li>Contryphan-P and Leu-contryphan-P from <taxon tax_id="41690">Conus purpurascens</taxon> (Purple cone). </li><li>Contryphan-Tx, contryphan-R/Tx and Leu-contryphan-Tx from <taxon tax_id="6494">Conus textile</taxon> (Cloth-of-gold cone) [<cite idref="PUB00033825"/>]. </li><li>Glacontryphan-M from <taxon tax_id="42752">Conus marmoreus</taxon> (Marble cone), a calcium-dependent inhibitor of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels [<cite idref="PUB00033826"/>, <cite idref="PUB00033827"/>]. </li><li>Contryphan from <taxon tax_id="61198">Conus radiatus</taxon> (Rayed cone). </li><li>Contryphan-Sm from <taxon tax_id="89452">Conus stercusmuscarum</taxon> (Fly-specked cone) [<cite idref="PUB00024204"/>]. </li><li>Contryphan-Vn from <taxon tax_id="117992">Conus ventricosus</taxon> (Mediterranean cone) [<cite idref="PUB00029262"/>]. </li></ul> Contryphan, conserved site