Dr Conan Wang
ARC Future Fellow and Group Leader
Institute for Molecular Bioscience
+61 7 334 62014
Researcher biography
I lead the Technology-Driven Drug Discovery (Tech3D) Group at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ. We believe that the key to solving some of our world's biggest challenges, whether that be in medicine or agriculture, relies on the ability to precision engineer molecules at will. My group harnesses three technological pillars to engineer peptides and proteins, which are computational biology, molecular libraries, and nanotechnology. We aspire to design better drugs, creating next generation biotechnological agents that have real impact. These could be new cancer drugs that harness the body's immune system or new insecticides that are environmentally friendly. In these pursuits, we value advancement, fun, balance, respect, fairness, and integrity.
I have been involved in peptide and protein research for over two decades, and am highly experienced in bioinformatics, chemistry, structural characterization, biophysics, and biochemistry. I trained with experts in peptide and protein characterization: an Honours project with Professor Garry King at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (2004), an APA scholarship with Professor David Craik at the University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Brisbane, Australia (2005-2009) and a NHMRC fellowship with Professor Mingjie Zhang at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China (2009-2011) and A/Professor Andreas Hofmann at Griffith University Eskitis Institute, Brisbane, Australia (2011-2012). I returned to the University of Queensland in 2012 to join an industry partnership funded by an ARC linkage grant. I currently hold an ARC Future Fellowship and am responsible for a team of research officers, assistants and postgraduate students.
My research output has been recognised by >30 prizes and awards for leadership, research translation and fundamental research excellence, as well as numerous invitations to speak at academic and pharmaceutical conferences. I have over 100 publications and have been cited by researchers from across the world.
Book Chapters
Wang, Conan K. (2018). NMR relaxation analysis of pharmaceutically active peptides. Modern magnetic resonance. (pp. 1997-2020) edited by Graham A. Webb. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-28388-3_115
Craik, David J., Kaas, Quentin and Wang, Conan K. (2017). A practical guide to structural aspects of macrocycles (NMR, x-ray, and modeling). Practical medicinal chemistry with macrocycles: Design, synthesis, and case studies. (pp. 25-57) edited by Eric Marsault and Mark L Peterson. Hoboken, New Jersey, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781119092599.ch2
Craik, David J., Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Mylne, Joshua S. and Wang, Conan K. (2012). Cyclotide isolation and characterization. Natural product biosynthesis by microorganisms and plants, part B. (pp. 37-62) edited by David A. Hopwood. Burlington, USA: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394291-3.00024-1
Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Greenwood, Kathryn and Craik, David J. (2010). Membrane binding of cyclotides. Membrane-active peptides: Methods and results on structure and function. (pp. 597-672) edited by Miguel A.R.B. Castanho. La Jolla, CA, U.S.A.: International University Line.
Journal Articles
Xie, Jing, Kan, Meng‐Wei, de Veer, Simon J., Wang, Conan and Craik, David J. (2024). Display technologies for expanding the pharmaceutical applications of cyclotides. Israel Journal of Chemistry, 64 (8-9) e202400010. doi: 10.1002/ijch.202400010
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Zhou, Yan, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Lawrence, Nicole, Craik, David J. and Durek, Thomas (2024). Author Correction: Repurposing a plant peptide cyclase for targeted lysine acylation. Nature Chemistry, 16 (9), 1565-1565. doi: 10.1038/s41557-024-01625-7
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Zhou, Yan, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Lawrence, Nicole, Craik, David J. and Durek, Thomas (2024). Repurposing a plant peptide cyclase for targeted lysine acylation. Nature Chemistry, 2024 (9), 1-1. doi: 10.1038/s41557-024-01520-1
Khatibi, Negin, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Durek, Thomas, Gilding, Edward K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Isolation and Characterization of Insecticidal Cyclotides from Viola communis. Journal of Natural Products. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00168
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2024). Seasonal tissue-specific gene expression in wild crown-of-thorns starfish reveals reproductive and stress-related transcriptional systems. PLOS Biology, 22 (5) e3002620, e3002620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002620
Jiang, Zhihao, Huang, Yen-Hua, Kaas, Quentin, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2024). Structure and Activity of Reconstructed Pseudo‐Ancestral Cyclotides. ChemMedChem, 19 (14), e202400124. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.202400124
Tian, Sixin, de Veer, Simon J., Durek, Thomas, Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Nucleation of a key beta-turn promotes cyclotide oxidative folding. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (4) 107125, 107125. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107125
Huang, Yen-Hua, Jiang, Zhihao, Du, Qingdan, Yap, Kuok, Bigot, Aurélien, Kaas, Quentin, Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Scanning mutagenesis identifies residues that improve the long-term stability and insecticidal activity of cyclotide kalata B1. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (3) 105682. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105682
Philippe, Grégoire Jean-Baptiste, Huang, Yen-Hua, Mittermeier, Anna, Brown, Christopher J., Kaas, Quentin, Ramlan, Siti Radhiah, Wang, Conan K., Lane, David, Loewer, Alexander, Troeira Henriques, Sónia and Craik, David J. (2024). Delivery to, and Reactivation of, the p53 Pathway in Cancer Cells Using a Grafted Cyclotide Conjugated with a Cell-Penetrating Peptide. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67 (2), 1197-1208. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01682
Biswas, Biswajit, Huang, Yen-Hua, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2024). The prospect of substrate-based kinase inhibitors to improve target selectivity and overcome drug resistance. Chemical Science, 15 (33), 13130-13147. doi: 10.1039/d4sc01088d
Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Shabbir, Fatima, Pham, Huong T., Lawrence, Nicole, Benfield, Aurélie H., van der Donk, Wilfred, Henriques, Sónia T., Turner, Mark S. and Craik, David J. (2023). The circular bacteriocin enterocin NKR-5-3B has an improved stability profile over nisin. Peptides, 167 171049, 171049. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171049
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2023). Captivity induces a sweeping and sustained genomic response in a starfish. Molecular Ecology, 32 (13), 3541-3556. doi: 10.1111/mec.16947
Wang, Conan K. (2023). The 2022 Kazuhiko Tatemoto Prize: ACE2-derived peptides for COVID-19 treatment. Peptides, 162 170964, 170964. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.170964
Chen, Zhian, Cui, Yanfang, Yao, Yin, Liu, Bo, Yunis, Joseph, Gao, Xin, Wang, Naiqi, Cañete, Pablo F., Tuong, Zewen Kelvin, Sun, Hongjian, Wang, Hao, Yang, Siling, Wang, Runli, Leong, Yew Ann, Simon Davis, David, Qin, Jiahuan, Liang, Kaili, Deng, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Roco, Jonathan A., Nettelfield, Sam, Zhu, Huaming, Xu, Huajun, Yu, Zhijia, Craik, David, Liu, Zheng, Qi, Hai, Parish, Christopher and Yu, Di (2023). Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation. Science immunology, 8 (80) eadd1728, 1-17. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add1728
Jönsson, Mathias, Morin, Marie, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2022). Sex-specific expression of pheromones and other signals in gravid starfish. BMC Biology, 20 (1) 288, 1-18. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01491-0
Tian, Sixin, Durek, Thomas, Wang, Conan K., Zdenek, Christina N., Fry, Bryan G., Craik, David J. and de Veer, Simon J. (2022). Engineering the cyclization loop of MCoTI-II generates targeted cyclotides that potently inhibit factor XIIa. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 65 (23), 15698-15709. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01080
Zhang, Yuhui, Wang, Li, Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Huang, Yen-Hua, Li, Yue, Bartolomei, Martina, Hong, Bin, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2022). Improving stability enhances in vivo efficacy of a PCSK9 inhibitory peptide. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 144 (42), 19485-19498. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c08029
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2022). CIPPS, an Australian Centre for Peptide and Protein Research, goes live!. Peptides, 155 170835, 1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170835
Du, Qingdan, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Kaas, Quentin and Craik, David J. (2022). Mutagenesis of bracelet cyclotide hyen D reveals functionally and structurally critical residues for membrane binding and cytotoxicity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298 (4) 101822, 101822. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101822
Yin, Huawu, Zhou, Xiuman, Huang, Yen-Hua, King, Gordon J., Collins, Brett M., Gao, Yanfeng, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Rational design of potent peptide inhibitors of the PD-1:PD-L1 interaction for cancer immunotherapy. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143 (44) jacs.1c08132, 18536-18547. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c08132
Huang, Yen-Hua, Du, Qingdan, Jiang, Zhihao, King, Gordon J., Collins, Brett M., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2021). Enabling efficient folding and high-resolution crystallographic analysis of bracelet cyclotides. Molecules, 26 (18) 5554, 5554. doi: 10.3390/molecules26185554
Tombling, Benjamin J., Zhang, Yuhui, Huang, Yen-Hua, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). The emerging landscape of peptide-based inhibitors of PCSK9. Atherosclerosis, 330, 52-60. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.06.903
Yin, Huawu, Huang, Yen-Hua, Best, Sarah A., Sutherland, Kate D., Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). An integrated molecular grafting approach for the design of Keap1-targeted peptide inhibitors. ACS Chemical Biology, 16 (7) acschembio.1c00388, 1276-1287. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00388
Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Bollati, Carlotta, Anoldi, Anna, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Increased valency improves inhibitory activity of peptides targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). ChemBioChem, 22 (12) cbic.202100103, 1-8. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202100103
Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Lawrence, Nicole, Gilding, Edward K., Grazioso, Giovanni, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Bioactive cyclization optimizes the affinity of a Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) peptide inhibitor. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64 (5) acs.jmedchem.0c01766, 2523-2533. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01766
Yap, Kuok, Du, Junqiao, Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tang, Shyn Ric, Zhou, Yan, Xie, Jing, Wang, Conan K., de Veer, Simon J., Lua, Linda H. L., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2021). Yeast-based bioproduction of disulfide-rich peptides and their cyclization via asparaginyl endopeptidases. Nature Protocols, 16 (3), 1-23. doi: 10.1038/s41596-020-00483-0
Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Lawrence, Nicole, Li, Jianqiang, Arnoldi, Anna, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Engineered EGF-A peptides with improved affinity for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). ACS Chemical Biology, 16 (2) acschembio.0c00991, 429-439. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00991
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2021). Linking molecular evolution to molecular grafting. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 296 100425, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100425
Handley, Thomas N. G., Harvey, Peta J., Wang, Conan K., Lawrence, Nicole and Craik, David (2020). Cyclotide structures revealed by NMR, with a little help from X-ray crystallography. Chembiochem, 21 (24) cbic.202000315, 3463-3475. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000315
Handley, Thomas N. G., Wang, Conan K., Harvey, Peta J., Lawrence, Nicole and Craik, David J. (2020). Front Cover: Cyclotide Structures Revealed by NMR, with a Little Help from X‐ray Crystallography (ChemBioChem 24/2020). ChemBioChem, 21 (24), 3449-3449. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000778
Wang, Conan K., Amiss, Anna S., Weidmann, Joachim and Craik, David J. (2020). Structure-activity analysis of truncated albumin-binding domains suggests new lead constructs for potential therapeutic delivery. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295 (34), 12143-12152. doi: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014168
Tombling, Benjamin J., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2020). EGF‐artige und andere disulfidreiche Mikrodomänen als therapeutische Molekülgerüste. Angewandte Chemie, 132 (28) ange.201913809, 11314-11328. doi: 10.1002/ange.201913809
Yap, Kuok, Du, Junqiao, Looi, Fong Yang, Tang, Shyn Ric, de Veer, Simon J., Bony, Anuja R., Rehm, Fabian B. H., Xie, Jing, Chan, Lai Yue, Wang, Conan K., Adams, David J., Lua, Linda H. L., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). An environmentally sustainable biomimetic production of cyclic disulfide-rich peptides. Green Chemistry, 22 (15), 5002-5016. doi: 10.1039/d0gc01366h
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Innentitelbild: Application and Structural Analysis of Triazole‐Bridged Disulfide Mimetics in Cyclic Peptides (Angew. Chem. 28/2020). Angewandte Chemie, 132 (28), 11258-11258. doi: 10.1002/ange.202006713
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Inside Cover: Application and Structural Analysis of Triazole‐Bridged Disulfide Mimetics in Cyclic Peptides (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 28/2020). Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59 (28), 11162-11162. doi: 10.1002/anie.202006713
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Application and structural analysis of triazole‐bridged disulfide mimetics in cyclic peptides. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 132 (28) anie.202003435, 11369-11373. doi: 10.1002/anie.202003435
Yin, Huawu, Huang, Yen-Hua, Deprey, Kirsten, Condon, Nicholas D., Kritzer, Joshua A., Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2020). Cellular uptake and cytosolic delivery of a cyclic cystine knot scaffold. ACS Chemical Biology, 15 (6), 1650-1661. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00297
Troeira Henriques, Sónia, Peacock, Hayden, Benfield, Aurelie, Wang, Conan K and Craik, David J (2019). Is the mirror image a true reflection? Intrinsic membrane chirality modulates peptide binding. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141 (51) jacs.9b11194, 20460-20469. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b11194
Tombling, Benjamin J., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2019). EGF-like and other disulfide-rich microdomains as therapeutic scaffolds. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59 (28), 11218-11232. doi: 10.1002/anie.201913809
Yin, Huawu, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2019). Anchor residues guide form and function in grafted peptides. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58 (23), 7652-7656. doi: 10.1002/anie.201901572
Chambers, Chris, Cutler, Penny, Huang, Yen-Hua, Goodchild, James A., Blythe, Judith, Wang, Conan K., Bigot, Aurélien, Kaas, Quentin, Craik, David J., Sabbadin, Davide and Earley, Fergus G. (2019). Insecticidal spider toxins are high affinity positive allosteric modulators of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. FEBS Letters, 593 (12) 1873-3468.13435, 1336-1350. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.13435
Yin, Huawu, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2019). Anchor residues guide form and function in grafted peptides. Angewandte Chemie, 131 (23), 7734-7738. doi: 10.1002/ange.201901572
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2019). Toward structure determination of disulfide-rich peptides using chemical shift-based methods. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 123 (9) acs.jpcb.8b10649, 1903-1912. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b10649
Ramalho, Suelem D., Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Byriel, Karl A., Huang, Yen-Hua, Bolzani, Vanderlan S. and Craik, David J. (2018). Synthesis, racemic x-ray crystallographic, and permeability studies of bioactive orbitides from Jatropha species. Journal of Natural Products, 81 (11) acs.jnatprod.8b00447, 2436-2445. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b00447
Wang, Conan K., Ghani, Hafiza Abdul, Bundock, Anna, Weidmann, Joachim, Harvey, Peta J., Edwards, Ingrid A., Schroeder, Christina I., Swedberg, Joakim E. and Craik, David J. (2018). Calcium-mediated allostery of the EGF fold. ACS Chemical Biology, 13 (6), 1659-1667. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00291
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2018). Designing macrocyclic disulfide-rich peptides for biotechnological applications. Nature Chemical Biology, 14 (5), 417-427. doi: 10.1038/s41589-018-0039-y
Wang, Conan K., Swedberg, Joakim E., Harvey, Peta J., Kaas, Quentin and Craik, David J. (2018). Conformational Flexibility Is a Determinant of Permeability for Cyclosporin. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B, 122 (8), 2261-2276. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b12419
Ojeda, Paola G. , Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Pan, Yijun, Nicolazzo, Joseph A., Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2017). Lysine to arginine mutagenesis of chlorotoxin enhances its cellular uptake. Biopolymers, 108 (5) e23025, e23025. doi: 10.1002/bip.23025
Wu, Xiaosa, Huang, Yen-Hua, Kaas, Quentin, Harvey, Peta J., Wang, Conan K., Tae, Han-Shen, Adams, David J. and Craik, David J. (2017). Backbone cyclization of analgesic conotoxin GeXIVA facilitates direct folding of the ribbon isomer. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 292 (41), 17101-17112. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.808386
Swedberg, Joakim E., Li, Choi Yi, De Veer, Simon J., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2017). Design of potent and selective cathepsin G inhibitors based on the sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 scaffold. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 60 (2), 658-667. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b01509
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2016). Cyclic peptide oral bioavailability: lessons from the past. Biopolymers, 106 (6), 901-909. doi: 10.1002/bip.22878
Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2016). Forward for ICCP2015 issue of biopolymers peptide science. Biopolymers, 106 (6), 772-773. doi: 10.1002/bip.22989
Kwon, Soohyun, Bosmans, Frank, Kaas, Quentin, Cheneval, Olivier, Conibear, Anne C., Rosengren, K. Johan, Wang, Conan K., Schroeder, Christina I. and Craik, David J. (2016). Efficient enzymatic cyclization of an inhibitory cystine knot-containing peptide. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 113 (10), 2202-2212. doi: 10.1002/bit.25993
Wang, Conan K., Stalmans, Sofie, De Spiegeleer, Bart and Craik, David J. (2016). Biodistribution of the cyclotide MCoTI-II, a cyclic disulfide-rich peptide drug scaffold. Journal of Peptide Science, 22 (5), 305-310. doi: 10.1002/psc.2862
Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Conibear, Anne C., Ramos, Mariana C., Chaousis, Stephanie, Henriques, Sonia Troeira and Craik, David J. (2016). Mirror images of antimicrobial peptides provide reflections on their functions and amyloidogenic properties. Journal of American Chemical Society, 138 (17), 5706-5713. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b02575
Wang, Conan K., Northfield, Susan E., Huang, Yen-Hua, Ramos, Mariana C. and Craik, David J. (2016). Inhibition of tau aggregation using a naturally-occurring cyclic peptide scaffold. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 109, 342-349. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.01.006
Ojeda, Paola G., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2016). Chlorotoxin: structure, activity, and potential uses in cancer therapy. Biopolymers - Peptide Science, 106 (1), 25-36. doi: 10.1002/bip.22748
D'Souza, Charlotte, Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Wang, Conana K., Cheneval, Olivier, Chan, Lai Yue, Bokil, Nilesh J., Sweet, Matthew J. and 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), 396-405. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00529
Wang, Conan K., Swedberg, Joakim E., Northfield, Susan E. and Craik, David J. (2015). Effects of Cyclization on Peptide Backbone Dynamics. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 119 (52), 15821-15830. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b11085
Ravipati, Anjaneya S., Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Poth, Aaron G., Kaas, Quentin, Wang, Conan K., Colgrave, Michelle L. and Craik, David J. (2015). Lysine-rich cyclotides: a new subclass of circular knotted proteins from violaceae. ACS Chemical Biology, 10 (11), 2491-2500. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.5b00454
de Veer, Simon J., Wang, Conan, Harris, Jonathan M., Craik, David J. and Swedberg, Joakim E. (2015). Improving the selectivity of engineered protease inhibitors: optimizing the P2 prime residue using a versatile cyclic peptide library. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 58 (20), 8257-8268. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01148
Huang, Yen-Hua, Henriques, Sonia T., Wang, Conan K., Thorstholm, Louise, Daly, Norelle L., Kaas, Quentin and Craik, David J. (2015). Design of substrate-based BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors using the cyclotide scaffold. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 12974, 1-15. doi: 10.1038/srep12974
Wang, Conan K., Northfield, Susan Ellen, Swedberg, Joakim E., Colless, Barbara, Chaousis, Stephanie, Price, David A., Liras, Spiros and Craik, David J. (2015). Exploring experimental and computational markers of cyclic peptides: charting islands of permeability. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 97, 202-213. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.04.049
Wang, Conan K. and Hofmann, Andreas (2015). An integrated Java tool for generating amino acid sequence alignments with mapped secondary structure elements. 3 Biotech, 5 (1), 87-92. doi: 10.1007/s13205-014-0222-0
Wang, Conan K., Northfield, Susan E., Colless, Barbara, Chaousis, Stephanie, Hamernig, Ingrid, Lohman, Rink-Jan, Nielsen, Daniel S., Schroeder, Christina I., Liras, Spiros, Price, David, A., Fairlie, David and Craik, David J. (2014). Rational design and synthesis of orally bioavailable peptides guided by NMR amide temperature coefficients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 111 (49), 17504-17509. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1417611111
Conibear, Anne C., Wang, Conan K., Bi, Tao, Rosengren, K. Johan, Camarero, Julio A. and Craik, David J. (2014). Insights into the molecular flexibility of theta-defensins by NMR relaxation analysis. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 118 (49), 14257-14266. doi: 10.1021/jp507754c
Taylor, Carol M., Northfield, Susan E., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2014). Native peptide folding dominates over stereoelectronic effects of prolyl hydroxylation in loop 5 of the macrocyclic peptide kalata B1. Tetrahedron, 70 (42), 7669-7674. doi: 10.1016/j.tet.2014.06.058
Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Northfield, Susan E., Ojeda, Paola G. and Craik, David J. (2014). Racemic and quasi-racemic x-ray structures of cyclic disulfide-rich peptide drug scaffolds. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 53 (42), 11236-11241. doi: 10.1002/anie.201406563
Ojeda, Paola G., Chan, Lai Y., Poth, Aaron G., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2014). The role of disulfide bonds in structure and activity of chlorotoxin. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 6 (15), 1617-1628. doi: 10.4155/FMC.14.93
Rebaud, Samuel, Wang, Conan K., Sarkis, Joe, Mason, Lyndel, Simon, Anne, Blum, Loic J., Hofmann, Andreas and Girard-Egrot, Agnes P. (2014). Specific interaction to PIP2 increases the kinetic rate of membrane binding of VILIPs, a subfamily of Neuronal Calcium Sensors (NCS) proteins. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes, 1838 (10), 2698-2707. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2014.06.021
Wang, Conan K., Northfield, Susan E., Swedberg, Joakim E., Harvey, Peta J., Mathiowetz, Alan M., Price, David A, Liras, Spiros and Craik, David J. (2014). Translational diffusion of cyclic peptides measured using pulsed-field gradient NMR. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 118 (38), 11129-11136. doi: 10.1021/jp506678f
Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Huang, Yen-Hua, Chaousis, Steph, Wang, Conan and Craik, David J. (2014). Anticancer and toxic properties of cyclotides are dependent on phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipid targeting. Chembiochem, 15 (13), 1956-1965. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201402144
D'Souza, Charlotte, Troeira Henriques, Sonia, Wang, Conan K. and 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, 10-18. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.06.047
Rebaud S., Simon A., Wang C.K., Mason L., Blum L., Hofmann A. and Girard-Egrot A. (2014). Comparison of VILIP-1 and VILIP-3 binding to phospholipid monolayers. PLoS ONE, 9 (4) e93948, e93948.1-e93948.8. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093948
Northfield, Susan E., Wang, Conan K., Schroeder, Christina I., Durek, Thomas, Kan, Meng-Wei, Swedberg, Joakim E. and Craik, David J. (2014). Disulfide-rich macrocyclic peptides as templates in drug design. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 77 (2), 248-257. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.03.011
Conibear, Anne C., Bochen, Alexander, Rosengren, K. Johan, Stupar, Petar, Wang, Conan, Kessler, Horst and Craik, David J. (2014). The cyclic cystine ladder of theta-defensins as a stable, bifunctional scaffold: a proof-of-concept study using the integrin-binding RGD motif. ChemBioChem, 15 (3), 451-459. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201300568
Wang, Conan K., Gruber, Christian W., Cemazar, Masa, Siatskas, Christopher, Tagore, Prascilla, Payne, Natalie, Sun, Guizhi, Wang, Shunhe, Bernard, Claude C. and Craik, David J. (2014). Molecular grafting onto a stable framework yields novel cyclic peptides for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. ACS Chemical Biology, 9 (1), 156-163. doi: 10.1021/cb400548s
Wang, Conan K., Wacklin, Hanna P. and Craik, David J. (2012). Cyclotides insert into lipid bilayers to form membrane pores and destabilize the membrane through hydrophobic and phosphoethanolamine-specific interactions. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 287 (52), 43884-43898. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.421198
Weeratunga, Saroja K., Osman, Asiah, Hu, Nien-Jen, Wang, Conan K., Mason, Lyndel, Svard, Staffan, Hope, Greg, Jones, Malcolm K. and Hofmann, Andreas (2012). Alpha-1 giardin is an annexin with highly unusual calcium-regulated mechanisms. Journal of Molecular Biology, 423 (2), 169-181. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.06.041
Osman, Asiah, Wang, Conan K., Winter, Anja, Loukas, Alex, Tribolet, Leon, Gasser, Robin B. and Hofmann, Andreas (2012). Hookworm SCP/TAPS protein structure - A key to understanding host-parasite interactions and developing new interventions. Biotechnology Advances, 30 (3), 652-657. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.11.002
Wang, Conan K., Broder, Ursula, Weeratunga, Saroja K., Gasser, Robin B., Loukas, Alex and Hofmann, Andreas (2012). SBAL: A practical tool to generate and edit structure-based amino acid sequence alignments. Bioinformatics, 28 (7) bts035, 1026-1027. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bts035
Xavier, Charles-Peter, Rastetter, Raphael H., Blomacher, Margit, Stumpf, Maria, Himmel, Mirko, Morgan, Reginald O., Fernandez, Maria-Pilar, Wang, Conan, Osman, Asiah, Miyata, Yoshihiko, Gjerset, Ruth A., Eichinger, Ludwig, Hofmann, Andreas, Linder, Stefan, Noegel, Angelika A. and Clemen, Christoph S. (2012). Phosphorylation of CRN2 by CK2 regulates F-actin and Arp2/3 interaction and inhibits cell migration. Scientific Reports, 2 (1) 241. doi: 10.1038/srep00241
Wang, Conan K., Weeratunga, Saroja K., Pacheco, Chris M. and Hofmann, Andreas (2011). DMAN: a java tool for analysis of multi-well differential scanning fluorimetry experiments. Bioinformatics, 28 (3) btr664, 439-440. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr664
Lopez, Marie, Vu. Hoan, Wang, Conan K., Wolf, Maarten G., Groenhof, Gerrit, Innocentis, Alessio, Supuran, Claudiu T. and Poulsen, Sally-Ann (2011). Promiscuity of carbonic anhydrase II: Unexpected ester hydrolysis of carbohydrate-based sulfamate inhibitors. Journal of The American Chemical Society, 133 (45), 18452-18462. doi: 10.1021/ja207855c
Wang, Conan K., Simon, Anne, Jessen, Christian M., Oliveira, Cristiano L. P., Mack, Lynsey, Braunewell, Karl-Heinz, Ames, James B., Pedersen, Jan Skov and Hofmann, Andreas (2011). Divalent cations and Redox conditions regulate the molecular structure and function of visinin-like protein-1. PLoS One, 6 (11) ARTN e26793, e26793.1-e26793.10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026793
Willis, Charlene, Wang, Conan K., Osman, Asiah, Simon, Anne, Pickering, Darren, Mulvenna, Jason, Riboldi-Tunicliffe, Alan, Jones, Malcolm K., Loukas, Alex and Hofmann, Andreas (2011). Insights into the membrane interactions of the saposin-like proteins Na-SLP-1 and Ac-SLP-1 from human and dog hookworm. PLoS One, 6 (10) e25369, e25369.1-e25369.10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025369
Campbell, Bronwyn E., Boag, Peter R., Hofmann, Andreas, Cantacessi, Cinzia, Wang, Conan K., Taylor, Paul, Hu, Min, Sindhu, Zia-ud-Din, Loukas, Alex, Sternberg, Paul W. and Gasser, Robin B. (2011). Atypical (RIO) protein kinases from Haemonchus contortus-promise as new targets for nematocidal drugs. Biotechnology Advances, 29 (3), 338-350. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.01.006
Wang, Conan K. L., Clark, Richard J., Harvey, Peta J., Rosengren, K. Johan, Cemazar, Masa and Craik, David J. (2011). The role of conserved Glu residue on cyclotide stability and activity: A structural and functional study of kalata B12, a naturally occurring Glu to Asp mutant. Biochemistry, 50 (19), 4077-4086. doi: 10.1021/bi2004153
Tang, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Pan, Xulin, Yan, He, Zeng, Guangzhi, Xu, Wenyan, He, Wenjun, Daly, Norelle L., Craik, David J. and Tan, Ninghua (2010). Isolation and characterization of Bioactive Cyclotides from Viola labrilorica. Helvetica Chimica Acta, 93 (11), 2287-2295. doi: 10.1002/hlca.201000115
Hofmann, Andreas, Wang, Con, Osman, Asiah and Camp, David (2010). Merging structural biology with chemical biology: Structural Chemistry at Eskitis. Structural Chemistry, 21 (5), 1117-1129. doi: 10.1007/s11224-010-9654-2
Tang, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Pan, Xulin, Yan, He, Zeng, Guangzhi, Xu, Wenyan, He, Wenjun, Daly, Norelle L., Craik, David J. and Tan, Ninghua (2010). Isolation and characterization of cytotoxic cyclotides from Viola tricolor. Peptides, 31 (8), 1434-1440. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2010.05.004
Wang, Conan K., Pan, Lifeng, Chen, Jia and Zhang, Mingjie (2010). Extensions of PDZ domains as important structural and functional elements. Protein & Cell, 1 (8), 737-751. doi: 10.1007/s13238-010-0099-6
Mylne, Joshua S, Wang, Conan K, van der Weerden, Nicole L and Craik, David J (2010). Cyclotides are a component of the innate defense of Oldenlandia affinis. Biopolymers, 94 (5), 635-646. doi: 10.1002/bip.21419
Wang, C. K., Colgrave, M. L., Ireland, D. C., Kaas, Q and Craik, D. J. (2009). Despite a conserved cystine knot motif, different cyclotides have different membrane binding modes. Biophysical Journal, 97 (5), 1471-1481. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2009.06.032
Chan, L. Y., Wang, C. K., Major, J. M., Greenwood, K. P., Lewis, R. J., Craik, D. J. and Daly, N. L. (2009). Isolation and characterization of peptides from momordica cochinchinensis seeds. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS, 72 (8), 1453-1458. doi: 10.1021/np900174n
Wang, C. K., Hu, S. H., Martin, J. L., Sjogren, T, Hajdu, J, Bohlin, L, Claeson, P, Goransson, U, Rosengren, K. J., Tang, J, Tan, N. H. and Craik, D. J. (2009). Combined x-ray and NMR analysis of the stability of the cyclotide cystine knot fold that underpins its insecticidal activity and potential use as a drug scaffold. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 284 (16), 10672-10683. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M900021200
Wang, Conan K., Schirra, Horst Joachim and Craik, David J. (2008). NMRDyn: a program for NMR relaxation studies of protein association. PLoS One, 3 (11) e3820, e3820-1-e3820-7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003820
Wang, C. K., Kaas, Q., Chiche, L. and Craik, D. J. (2008). CyBase: a database of cyclic protein sequences and structures, with application in protein discovery and engineering. Nucleic Acids Research, 36 (SUPPL. 1), D206-D210. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkm953
Gruber, Christian W., Elliott, Alysha G., Ireland, David C., Delprete, Piero G., Dessein, Steven, Goransson, Ulf, Trabi, Manuela, Wang, Conan K., Kinghorn, Andrew B., Robbrecht, Elmar and Craik, David J. (2008). Distribution and evolution of circular miniproteins in flowering plants. The Plant Cell, 20 (9), 2471-2483. doi: 10.1105/tpc.108.062331
Colgrave, Michelle L., Kotze, Andrew C., Ireland, David C., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2008). The anthelmintic activity of the cyclotides: Natural variants with enhanced activity. ChemBioChem, 9 (12), 1939-1945. doi: 10.1002/cbic.200800174
Simonsen, S. M., Sando, L., Rosengren, K. J., Wang, C. K., Colgrave, M. L., Daly, N. L. and Craik, D. J. (2008). Alanine Scanning mutagenesis of the prototypic cyclotide reveals a cluster of residues essential for bioactivity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283 (15), 9805-9813. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M709303200
Kaas, Quentin, Westermann, Jan, Halai, Reena, Wang, Conan and Craik, David J. (2008). ConoServer, a database for conopeptide sequences and structures. Bioinformatics, 24 (3), 445-446. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btm596
Wang, Conan K. L., Colgrave, Michelle L., Gustafson, Kirk R., Ireland, David C., Goransson, Ulf and Craik, David J. (2008). Anti-HIV Cyclotides from the Chinese Medicinal Herb Viola yedonensis. Journal of Natural Products, 71 (1), 47-52. doi: 10.1021/np070393g
Ireland, David C., Wang, Conan K., Wilson, Jennifer A., Gustafson, Kirk R. and Craik, David J. (2008). Cyclotides as natural anti-HIV agents. Biopolymers: Peptide Science, 90 (1), 51-60. doi: 10.1002/bip.20886
Mulvenna, J. P., Wang, C. and Craik, D. J. (2006). CyBase: a database of cyclic protein sequence and structure. Nucleic Acids Research, 34 (Sp. Iss. SI), D192-D194. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkj005
Craik, D. J., Cemazar, M., Wang, C. K. L. and Daly, N. L. (2006). The cyclotide family of circular miniproteins: Nature's combinatorial peptide template. Biopolymers, 84 (3), 250-266. doi: 10.1002/hip.20451
Chen, B., Colgrave, M. L., Wang, C. N. and Craik, D. J. (2006). Cycloviolacin H4, a hydrophobic cyclotide from Viola hederaceae. Journal of Natural Products, 69 (1), 23-28. doi: 10.1021/np050317i
Conference Papers
Zhang, Yuhui, Wang, Li, Tombling, Benjamin, Lammi, Carmen, Huang, Yen-Hua, Yue, Li, Bartolomei, Martina, Hong, Bin, Craik, David and Wang, Conan (2024). Improving stability enhances in vivo efficacy of a PCSK9 inhibitory peptide. 37th European Peptide Symposium 14th International Peptide Symposium, Florence, Italy, 25-29 August 2024. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Huang, Yen-Hua, Jiang, Zhihao, Yap, Kuok, Bigot, Aurelien, Kaas, Quentin, Wang, Conan and Craik, David (2024). Site-directed scanning mutagenesis reveals specific residues that enhance both the enduring stability and insecticidal efficacy of the cyclotide kalata B1. 37th European Peptide Symposium 14th International Peptide Symposium, Florence, Italy, 25-29 August 2024. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Philippe, Gregoire, Huang, Yen-Hua, Mittermeier, Anna, Brown, Christopher, Wang, Conan, Kaas, Quentin, Lawrence, Nicole, Condon, Nicholas, Lane, David, Loewer, Alexander, Craik, David and Henriques, Sonia (2022). Activating the p53 pathway with peptide conjugates: synthesis, structure, activity and cellular uptake. 36th European Peptide Symposium 12th International Peptide Symposium, Barcelona, Spain, 28 August - 2 September 2022. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/psc.3445
Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Peacock, Hayden, Benfield, Aurelie H., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David (2020). Challenging the chirality paradigm in peptide-lipid interactions. 64th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, San Diego, CA, United States, 15-19 February 2020. St. Louis, MO, United States: Cell Press. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.11.1983
Wang, Conan and Craik, David (2018). A journey alongside cyclosporin on the road to peptide oral bioavailability. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Peacock, Hayden, Benfield, Aurelie H., Wang, Conan and Craik, David (2018). Is the mirror image a true reflection? Lipid chirality in the activity of the prototypic cyclotide kalata B1. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Huang, Yen-Hua, Passioura, Toby, Peacock, Hayden, Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Wang, Conan, Kaas, Quentin, Suga, Hiroaki and Craik, David (2018). Targeting the coiled-coil domain of BCR-ABL1 kinase with new weapons. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Wang, C. K., Gruber, C. W., Cernazar, M., Siatskas, C., Tagore, P., Sun, G., Wang, S., Bernard, C. and Craik, D. J. (2013). Molecular grafting onto a stable framework yields novel cyclic peptides for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. 23rd American Peptide Symposium, Waikoloa, Hawaii, 22-27 June 2013 . Hoboken, NJ, United States : John Wiley & Sons.
Mylne, Joshua S., Wang, Conan K., van der Weerden, Nicole L. and Craik, David J. (2010). Cyclotides are a component of the innate defense of Oldenlandia affinis. 1st International Conference on Circular Proteins, Heron Island, Qld, Australia, 18-21 October, 2009. Hoboken, NJ, United States: Wiley. doi: 10.1002/bip.21419
Thesis
Wang, Conan (2008). Structural and functional studies of cyclotides. PhD Thesis, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/174289