Past funding - Peptide Therapeutics & Membrane Biology Research Group

ARC Future Fellowship (FT150100398), June 2016-June 2020

Title: Breaching membrane barriers: a new approach to modulate intracellular pathways

Researchers: Sónia T. Henriques

Abstract: Cell membranes are barriers to macromolecules. The ability to cross these barriers and deliver biological macromolecules into cells represents a major achievement with endless opportunities to modulate pathways, to introduce biomarkers, therapeutics and research tools. This program proposes the development of novel molecular transporters to deliver macromolecules inside cells/microorganisms with academic/commercial relevance. This novel platform technology is based on stable cyclic peptides to deliver genes, proteins, probes or biomarkers into distinct cell types that can monitor/modulate specific pathways and be translated into new knowledge and into specific industrial applications.

Selected publications:

Nadal Bufi, Ferran, Chan, Lai Y., H. Mohammad, Hadi, Mason, Jody M., Salomón, Carlos, Lai, Andrew, Thompson, Rik, Craik, David J, Kaas, Quentin, & Troeira Henriques, Sonia (2022) Peptide-based LDH5 inhibitors enter cancer cells and impair proliferation. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(12), Article number: 606. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/236338/)

Amiss, Anna S., von Pein, Jessica B., Webb, Jessica R., Condon, Nicholas D., Harvey, Peta J., Phan, Minh Duy, Schembri, Mark A., Currie, Bart J., Sweet, Matthew J., Craik, David J., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Lawrence, Nicole (2022) Modified horseshoe crab peptides target and kill bacteria inside host cells. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(1), Article number: 38. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/234190/)

Nadal-Bufi, Ferran, Mason, Jody M., Chan, Lai Yue, Craik, David J., Kaas, Quentin, & Troeira Henriques, Sónia (2021) Designed β-Hairpins Inhibit LDH5 Oligomerization and Enzymatic Activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64(7), pp. 3767-3779. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/225979/)

Benfield, Aurélie H., Defaus, Sira, Lawrence, Nicole, Chaousis, Stephanie, Condon, Nicholas, Cheneval, Olivier, Huang, Yen Hua, Chan, Lai Yue, Andreu, David, Craik, David J., & Henriques, Sónia Troeira (2021) Cyclic gomesin, a stable redesigned spider peptide able to enter cancer cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Biomembranes, 1863(1), Article number: 183480. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208786/)

Lawrence, Nicole, Philippe, Grégoire J.-B., Harvey, Peta J., Condon, Nicholas D., Benfield, Aurélie H., Cheneval, Olivier, Craik, David J., & Troeira Henriques, Sónia (2020) Cyclic peptide scaffold with ability to stabilize and deliver a helical cell-impermeable cargo across membranes of cultured cancer cells. RSC Chemical Biology, 1(5), pp. 405-420. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/230300/)

Philippe, Gregoire, Gaspar, Diana, Sheng, Caibin, Huang, Yen-Hua, Benfield, Aurelie, Condon, Nicholas, Weidmann, Joachim, Lawrence, Nicole, Loewer, Alexander, Castanho, Miguel, Craik, David, & Troeira Henriques, Sonia (2019) Cell membrane composition drives selectivity and toxicity of designed cyclic helix-loop-helix peptides with cell penetrating and tumor suppressor properties. ACS Chemical Biology, 14(9), pp. 2071-2087. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/132056/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira & Craik, David J. (2017) Cyclotide Structure and Function: The Role of Membrane Binding and Permeation. Biochemistry, 56(5), pp. 669-682. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124524/)

Cranfield, Charles G., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Martinac, Boris, Duckworth, Paul, Craik, David J., & Cornell, Bruce (2017) Kalata B1 and Kalata B2 Have a Surfactant-Like Activity in Phosphatidylethanolomine-Containing Lipid Membranes. Langmuir, 33(26), pp. 6630-6637.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124519/)

Ojeda, Paola G., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Pan, Yijun, Nicolazzo, Joseph A., Craik, David J., & Wang, Conan K. (2017) Lysine to arginine mutagenesis of chlorotoxin enhances its cellular uptake. Biopolymers, 108(5), e23025-e23025. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124522/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Lawrence, Nicole, Chaousis, Stephanie, Ravipati, Anjaneya S., Cheneval, Olivier, Benfield, Aurélie H., Elliott, Alysha G., Kavanagh, Angela Maria, Cooper, Matthew A., Chan, Lai Yue, Huang, Yen-Hua, & Craik, David J. (2017) Redesigned Spider Peptide with Improved Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties. ACS Chemical Biology, 12(9), pp. 2324-2334.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124525/)

NHMRC Project Grant (APP1084965), Jan 2015-Dec 2019

Title: Development of peptide-based scaffolds for cancer target

Researchers: CIA: David J. Craik, CIB: Sónia T. Henriques

Synopsis: The overall aim of this project is to develop peptide-based drugs that are able to cross cell membranes and inhibit specific intracellular cancer targets, leading to more effective, safer and cost effective drugs. Oncoprotein-targeted drugs are emerging as an exciting new approach to traditional small-molecule drugs, as they offer higher specificity and consequently less toxic side effects. Many of these new generation cancer targets involve the inhibition of protein:protein interactions inside cells. Our critical discovery that certain classes of cyclic peptides can cross cell membranes and bind to specific targets inside cells has opened the possibility to inhibit these intracellular cancer targets with highly specific peptide-based drugs. We will use stable, cyclic, disulfide-rich peptides as frameworks to design novel drugs that can penetrate into cells and block protein:protein interactions. Three oncogenic protein classes, Hdm2, B-raf kinase, and SET proteins, which are validated cancer targets will be used as proof-of- concept for this approach, but the technology will be also applied to other new targets as they are identified from genome and transcriptome analyses during the course of the project. The major outcome of this project will be new drug leads to treat melanoma and leukaemia with higher specificity, lower toxicity and a lower likelihood to develop resistance than current therapies. The malfunctioning of intracellular proteins is a hallmark not only of numerous cancers but also many other diseases, including inflammatory diseases, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Therefore, our approach should be of considerable interest to pharmaceutical companies conducting drug discovery programs that inhibit intracellular targets.

Selected publications:

Philippe, Grégoire J.B., Mittermeier, Anna, Lawrence, Nicole, Huang, Yen Hua, Condon, Nicholas D., Loewer, Alexander, Craik, David J., & Henriques, Sónia T. (2021) Angler Peptides: Macrocyclic Conjugates Inhibit p53:MDM2/X Interactions and Activate Apoptosis in Cancer Cells. ACS Chemical Biology, 16(2), pp. 414-428. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/210157/)

Philippe, Grégoire J.B., Craik, David J., & Henriques, Sónia T. (2021) Converting peptides into drugs targeting intracellular protein–protein interactions. Drug Discovery Today, 26(6), pp. 1521-1531. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208803/)

Sorolla, Anabel, Wang, Edina, Golden, Emily, Duffy, Ciara, Troeira Henriques, Sonia, Redfern, Andrew, & Blancafort, Pilar (2020) Precision medicine by designer interference peptides: applications in oncology and molecular therapeutics. Oncogene, 39(6), pp. 1167-1184. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/134022/)

Troeira Henriques, Sonia, Peacock, Hayden, Benfield, Aurelie, Wang, Conan, & Craik, David (2019) Is the Mirror Image a True Reflection? Intrinsic Membrane Chirality Modulates Peptide Binding. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141(51), pp. 20460-20469 (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/197167/)

Grage, Stephan L., Sani, Marc-Antoine, Cheneval, Olivier, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Schalck, Constantin, Heinzmann, Ralf, Mylne, Joshua S., Mykhailiuk, Pavel K., Afonin, Sergii, Komarov, Igor V., Separovic, Frances, Craik, David J., & Ulrich, Anne S. (2017) Orientation and Location of the Cyclotide Kalata B1 in Lipid Bilayers Revealed by Solid-State NMR. Biophysical Journal, 112(4), pp. 630-642.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124521/)

Abdul Ghani, Hafiza, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Huang, Yen-Hua, Swedberg, Joakim E., Schroeder, Christina I., & Craik, David J. (2017) Structural and functional characterization of chimeric cyclotides from the Möbius and trypsin inhibitor subfamilies. Biopolymers, 108(1), e22927. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124514/)

Philippe, Grégoire, Huang, Yen-Hua, Cheneval, Olivier, Lawrence, Nicole, Zhang, Zhen, Fairlie, David P, Craik, David J., de Araujo, Aline Dantas, & Henriques, Sónia Troeira (2016) Development of cell-penetrating peptide-based drug leads to inhibit MDMX:p53 and MDM2:p53 interactions. Biopolymers, 106(6), pp. 853-863. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124512/)

D’Souza, Charlotte, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Wang, Conan K., Cheneval, Olivier, Chan, Lai Yue, Bokil, Nilesh J., Sweet, Matthew J., & Craik, David J. (2016) Using the MCoTI-II cyclotide scaffold to design a stable cyclic peptide antagonist of SET, a protein overexpressed in human cancer. Biochemistry, 55(2), pp. 396-405. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124507/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Huang, Yen-Hua, Chaousis, Stephanie, Sani, Marc-Antoine, Poth, Aaron G., Separovic, Frances, & Craik, David J.(2015) The Prototypic Cyclotide Kalata B1 Has a Unique Mechanism of Entering Cells. Chemistry & Biology, 22(8), pp. 1087-1097.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124501/)

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange, Horizon 2020 (644167), Feb 2015-Jan 2019

Title: Innovative peptides against cancer and pathogenic bacteria (INPACT)

Team: Academic partners: M. Castanho (Lisbon University, Portugal), D. Andreu (Pompeu Fabra University, Spain), A. Da Poian (UFRJ, Brazil), Jay Rajadas (UCSF, USA); Biotech partners: S. Corte-Real (Technophage, Portugal), E. Perez (CEAMED, Spain), M. Vila-Perelló (Proteodesign, Spain) Business school: M. Rosenmoller, (IESE, Spain); Science communication partner: B. Encarnação (ICH, Brazil), World expert in rising research funds: M. Helms (Stanford University, USA)

Abstract: INPACT aims at the pre-clinical development of innovative drugs and drug formulations against selected cancers (eg prostate cancer) and pathogenic bacteria (eg S. aureus). The INPACT consortium allies the expertise of both academic and industrial R&D partners that contribute with their own unique technologies to achieve new drugs that are only possible to develop in an integrative effort. Academic partners have unique knowledge and technologies on supercharged viral proteins-derived cell-penetrating peptides (eg from Dengue virus) and ultra-resistant cyclic peptides that may be transferred to the industrial partners, which in turn have specialized proprietary technologies on anticancer and/or peptide drugs’ technologies. The judicious exchange of knowledge among partners will lead to new resistant peptides for trans-barrier delivery of drugs (eg cyclic peptide-drug chimeras) and bacterial killing (both planktonic and biofilms). INPACT includes four leading academic partners (from Portugal, Spain, Australia, and Brazil) and three consolidated biotech SMEs (one from Portugal and two Spain). In addition to the R&D project itself, INPACT involves at the highest possible level a top business school in Europe (IESE, Barcelona, Spain), a consolidated media partner specialised in science communication (Ciencia Hoje, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and experts in international science funding from one of the top US universities (University of Stanford). The consortium will be the perfect environment for young researchers to acquire knowledge and skills in science, technology, entrepreneurship, business, and communication so they can pro-actively tailor their career path in a life-long learning perspective. This is a contribution towards the advancement of Europe through the use of research and education for societal development and economic growth.

Selected publications:

Dias, Susana A., Pinto, Sandra N., Silva-Herdade, Ana S., Cheneval, Olivier, Craik, David J., Coutinho, Ana, Castanho, Miguel A.R.B., Henriques, Sónia T., & Veiga, Ana Salomé (2022) A designed cyclic analogue of gomesin has potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 77(12), pp. 3256-3264. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237143/)

Skalska, Julia, Andrade, Vitor M., Cena, Gabrielle L., Harvey, Peta J., Gaspar, Diana, Mello, Érica O., Henriques, Sónia T., Valle, Javier, Gomes, Valdirene M., Conceição, Katia, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., & Andreu, David (2020) Synthesis, structure, and activity of the antifungal plant defensin PvD1. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63(17), 9391–9402. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/204442/)

Pérez-Peinado, Clara, Dias, Susana Almeida, Domingues, Marco M., Benfield, Aurélie H., Freire, João Miguel, Rádis-Baptista, Gandhi, Gaspar, Diana, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., Craik, David J., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Veiga, Ana Salomé, & Andreu, David (2017) Mechanisms of bacterial membrane permeabilization by crotalicidin (Ctn) and its fragment Ctn(15–34), antimicrobial peptides from rattlesnake venom. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 293(5), pp. 1536-1549. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124531/)

Dias, Susana A., Freire, João M., Pérez-Peinado, Clara, Domingues, Marco M., Gaspar, Diana, Vale, Nuno, Gomes, Paula, Andreu, David, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., & Veiga, Ana S. (2017) New Potent Membrane-Targeting Antibacterial Peptides from Viral Capsid Proteins. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124520/)

NHMRC Project Grant (APP108405), Jan 2015-Dec 2018

Title: Understanding how toxins interact with lipid membrane and ion channels

Researchers: CIA: Christina Schroeder, CIB: Sónia T. Henriques CIC: Mehdi Mobli

Synopsis: Voltage-gated ion channels are actively being pursued as therapeutic targets by the pharmaceutical industry due to their intimate involvement in many aspects of physiology including nerve and muscle relaxation, cognition and regulation of blood pressure. Small disulfide-rich peptide toxins isolated from spiders, snakes and cone snails have been instrumental in studying ion channel pharmacology and are being pursued as drug leads for diseases including neuropathic pain and cardiac disorders. We are interested in investigating the mechanism of interaction between toxins found to interact with the lipid bilayer surrounding the ion channels and have exciting preliminary data suggesting that the composition of the lipid bilayer, associated with lipid rafts in which the ion channels reside, is important for the toxin-membrane interaction. To study this interaction we will produce a suite of known membrane-interacting spider toxins and examine the structure-activity relationship of toxin-membrane interaction using a range of biophysical and structural biological techniques. We aim to identify peptides with higher affinity and optimal biophysical properties as well as delineate ion channel subtype selectivity of these membrane-interacting spider

Selected publications:

Lawrence, Nicole, Wu, Bin, Ligutti, Joseph, Cheneval, Olivier, Agwa, Akello Joanna, Benfield, Aurélie H., Biswas, Kaustav, Craik, David J., Miranda, Les P., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Schroeder, Christina I. (2019) Peptide-Membrane Interactions Affect the Inhibitory Potency and Selectivity of Spider Toxins ProTx-II and GpTx-1. ACS Chemical Biology, 14(1), pp. 118-130. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124529/)

Agwa, Akello J., Peigneur, Steve, Chow, Chun Yuen, Lawrence, Nicole, Craik, David J., Tytgat, Jan, King, Glenn F., Henriques, Sónia Troeira,& Schroeder, Christina I. (2018) Gating modifier toxins isolated from spider venom: Modulation of voltage-gated sodium channels and the role of lipid membranes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 293(23), pp. 9041-9052. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124527/)

Madio, Bruno, Peigneur, Steve, Chin, Yanni K. Y., Hamilton, Brett R., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Smith, Jennifer J., Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Dekan, Zoltan, Boughton, Berin A., Alewood, Paul F., Tytgat, Jan, King, Glenn F., & Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2018) PHAB toxins: a unique family of predatory sea anemone toxins evolving via intra-gene concerted evolution defines a new peptide fold. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 75(24), pp. 4511-4524. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124530/)

Agwa, Akello J., Henriques, Sónia T., & Schroeder, Christina I. (2017) Gating modifier toxin interactions with ion channels and lipid bilayers: Is the trimolecular complex real? Neuropharmacology, 127, pp. 32-45. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124515/)

Agwa, A.J., Huang, Y.H., Craik, David J., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Schroeder, Christina (2017) Lengths of the C-Terminus and Interconnecting Loops Impact Stability of Spider-Derived Gating Modifier Toxins. Toxins, 9(8), p. 248.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124516/)

Agwa, Akello J., Lawrence, Nicole, Deplazes, Evelyne, Cheneval, Olivier, Chen, Rachel M., Craik, David J., Schroeder, Christina I., & Henriques, Sónia T. (2017) Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNa V 1.7. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Biomembranes, 1859(5), pp. 835-844.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124517/)

Deuis, Jennifer R., Dekan, Zoltan, Inserra, Marco C., Lee, Tzong-Hsien, Aguilar, Marie-Isabel, Craik, David J., Lewis, Richard J., Alewood, Paul F., Mobli, Mehdi, Schroeder, Christina I., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Vetter, Irina (2016) Development of a μO-Conotoxin Analogue with Improved Lipid Membrane Interactions and Potency for the Analgesic Sodium Channel NaV1.8. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(22), pp. 11829-11842. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124509/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Deplazes, Evelyne, Lawrence, Nicole, Cheneval, Olivier, Chaousis, Stephanie, Inserra, Marco, Thongyoo, Panumart, King, Glenn F., Mark, Alan E., Vetter, Irina, Craik, David J., & Schroeder, Christina I. (2016) Interaction of Tarantula Venom Peptide ProTx-II with Lipid Membranes Is a Prerequisite for Its Inhibition of Human Voltage-gated Sodium Channel NaV1.7. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(33), pp. 17049-17065. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124511/)

Deplazes, Evelyne, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Smith, Jennifer J., King, Glenn F., Craik, David J., Mark, Alan E., & Schroeder, Christina I.(2016) Membrane-binding properties of gating modifier and pore-blocking toxins: Membrane interaction is not a prerequisite for modification of channel gating. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Biomembranes, 1858(4), pp. 872-882.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124508/)

NHMRC Project Grant (APP1060225), Jan 2014-Dec 2016

Tittle: Development of new generation drugs for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

Team: CIA: David J. Craik, CIB: Sónia T. Henriques, CIC: Quentin Kaas

Summary: Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is one of the four most common types of leukaemia. With current therapies, 15–20% of patients newly diagnosed for CML will die in the next five years, and it is therefore vitally important to discover new treatments. The aim of this project is to develop a new generation of drugs to treat CML based on new approaches (i.e., different type of molecules and different binding site) that can combat the resistance acquired to the current treatments.

Selected publications:

Huang, Yen Hua, Chaousis, Stephanie, Cheneval, Olivier, Craik, David J., & Henriques, Sónia T. (2015) Optimization of the cyclotide framework to improve cell penetration properties. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 6, Article number: 17. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124503/)

Huang, Yen-Hua, Henriques, Sónia T., Wang, Conan K., Thorstholm, Louise, Daly, Norelle L., Kaas, Quentin, et al. (2015) Design of substrate-based BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors using the cyclotide scaffold. Scientific Reports, 5(1). (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124504/)

D’Souza, Charlotte, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Wang, Conan K., & Craik, David J. (2014) Structural parameters modulating the cellular uptake of disulfide-rich cyclic cell-penetrating peptides: MCoTI-II and SFTI-1. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 88, pp. 10-18.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124499/)

ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA; DE120103152), Feb 2012-Feb 2015

Title: Development of next generation drugs against Helicobacter pylori

Chief Investigator: Sónia T. Henriques

Summary: Helicobacter pylori infection is the most common bacterial infection worldwide and the strongest risk factor for gastric cancer, the second leading oncologic cause of death in the world. Available therapies have several limitations and inferior results when compared with other infections diseases. The aim of this project is to develop a new generation of drugs to treat Helicobacter pylori infection based on cyclic peptide scaffolds that have increased effectiveness and reduced side effects. An iterative process of designing and testing, together with elucidation of mechanisms of action and safety profiles, will produce a new generation of peptide drugs.

Selected publications:

Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Conibear, Anne C., Ramos, Mariana C., Chaousis, Stephanie, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Craik, David J.(2016) Mirror Images of Antimicrobial Peptides Provide Reflections on Their Functions and Amyloidogenic Properties. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(17), pp. 5706-5713. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124513/)

Sani, Marc-Antoine, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Weber, Daniel, & Separovic, Frances (2015) Bacteria May Cope Differently from Similar Membrane Damage Caused by the Australian Tree Frog Antimicrobial Peptide Maculatin 1.1. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 290(32), pp. 19853-19862. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124506/)

Himeno, Kohei, Rosengren, K. Johan, Inoue, Tomoko, Perez, Rodney H., Colgrave, Michelle L., Lee, Han Siean, Chan, Lai Y., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Fujita, Koji, Ishibashi, Naoki, Zendo, Takeshi, Wilaipun, Pongtep, Nakayama, Jiro, Leelawatcharamas, Vichien, Jikuya, Hiroyuki, Craik, David J., & Sonomoto, Kenji (2015) Identification, characterization, and three-dimensional structure of the novel circular bacteriocin, enterocin NKR-5-3B, from enterococcus faecium. Biochemistry, 54(31), pp. 4863-4876. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124502/)

Torcato, Inês M., Huang, Yen-Hua, Franquelim, Henri G., Gaspar, Diana D., Craik, David J., Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., & Henriques, Sónia Troeira (2013) The Antimicrobial Activity of Sub3 is Dependent on Membrane Binding and Cell-Penetrating Ability. ChemBioChem, 14(15), pp. 2013-2022. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124498/)

Conibear, Anne C., Rosengren, K. Johan, Daly, Norelle L., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Craik, David J. (2013) The Cyclic Cystine Ladder in θ-Defensins Is Important for Structure and Stability, but Not Antibacterial Activity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 288(15), pp. 10830-10840. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124495/)

Torcato, Inês M., Huang, Yen-Hua, Franquelim, Henri G., Gaspar, Diana, Craik, David J., Castanho, Miguel A.R.B., & Henriques, Sónia Troeira(2013) Design and characterization of novel antimicrobial peptides, R-BP100 and RW-BP100, with activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Biomembranes, 1828(3), pp. 944-955.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124497/)

Torcato, Inês M., Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., & Henriques, Sónia T. (2012) The Application of Biophysical Techniques to Study Antimicrobial Peptides. Spectroscopy: An International Journal, 27, pp. 541-549. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/127115/)

International Outgoing Marie Curie Fellowship (PIOF-GA-2008-220318), Jan 2009-Dec 2011

Title: Elucidating the mechanism of action of cyclotides

Researchers: Sónia T. Henriques

Selected publications:

Craik, David J., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Mylne, Joshua S., & Wang, Conan K. (2012) Cyclotide Isolation and Characterization. In Hopwood, David A. (Ed.) Natural Product Biosynthesis by Microorganisms and Plants, Part B. Elsevier, San Diego, CA, pp. 37-62.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124492/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira & Craik, David J. (2012) Importance of the Cell Membrane on the Mechanism of Action of Cyclotides. ACS Chemical Biology, 7(4), pp. 626-636. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124493/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Huang, Yen-Hua, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., Bagatolli, Luis A., Sonza, Secondo, Tachedjian, Gilda, Daly, Norelle L.,& Craik, David J. (2012) Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Is a Conserved Feature of Cyclotide-Membrane Interactions. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 287(40), pp. 33629-33643. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124494/)

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Huang, Yen-Hua, Rosengren, K. Johan, Franquelim, Henri G., Carvalho, Filomena A., Johnson, Adam, Sonza, Secondo, Tachedjian, Gilda, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., Daly, Norelle L., & Craik, David J. (2011) Decoding the membrane activity of the cyclotide kalata B1: the importance of phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipids and lipid organization on hemolytic and anti-HIV activities. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286(27), pp. 24231-24241. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124490/)

Chan, L. Y., Gunasekera, S., Henriques, S. T., Worth, N. F., Le, S.-J., Clark, R. J., Campbell, J. H., Craik, D. J., & Daly, N. L. (2011) Engineering pro-angiogenic peptides using stable, disulfide-rich cyclic scaffolds. Blood, 118(25), pp. 6709-6717. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124488/)

Cascales, Laura, Henriques, Sónia T., Kerr, Markus C., Huang, Yen-Hua, Sweet, Matthew J., Daly, Norelle L., & Craik, David J. (2011) Identification and Characterization of a New Family of Cell-penetrating Peptides. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286(42), pp. 36932-36943. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124487/)

Daly, Norelle L., Rosengren, K. Johan, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, & Craik, David J. (2011) NMR and protein structure in drug design: application to cyclotides and conotoxins. European Biophysics Journal, 40(4), pp. 359-370. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124489/)

Sando, Lillian, Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Foley, Fiona, Simonsen, Shane M., Daly, Norelle L., Hall, Kristopher N., Gustafson, Kirk R., Aguilar, Marie-Isabel, & Craik, David J. (2011) A Synthetic Mirror Image of Kalata B1 Reveals that Cyclotide Activity Is Independent of a Protein Receptor. ChemBioChem, 12(16), pp. 2456-2462. (https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124491/)

ARC Australian postdoctoral fellowship & Discovery Project (DP0880105), Jan 2008- Dec 2010

Title: Elucidating the chemical and biophysical basis for the bioactivity of cyclotides: ultra-stable proteins from plants

Researchers: Sónia T. Henriques, Norelle Daly

Summary: This project aims to provide for the first time a chemical understanding of the biological activities of a novel family of proteins called cyclotides. The cyclotides are plant-derived mini-proteins with unique structural properties that male them exceptionally stable. The significance of this project is that the molecular framework of the cyclotides has the potential to overcome the limitations that are generally associated with peptide-based therapeutics, including poor stability and bioavailability. Understanding how these unique proteins exert their biological activities will provide vital information that can be applied in drug design studies.

Selected publications:

Ravipati, Anjaneya S., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Poth, Aaron G., Kaas, Quentin, Wang, Conan K., Colgrave, Michelle L., & Craik, David J.(2015) Lysine-rich cyclotides: A new subclass of circular knotted proteins from violaceae. ACS Chemical Biology, 10(11), pp. 2491-2500.(https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124505/)