Researchers have recently found a number of peptide toxins inside the venom of a particular type of cone snail called Conus episcopatus. This predator is found on the eastern coast of Australia and is among seven hundred different cone snail species.
Even a tiny amount of the venom from this snail could be deadly for humans. There have already been 30 instances recorded where people have died because of cone snails since this mollusk does get aggressive when it is provoked. The victim doesn’t suffer too much pain either because of the analgesic component of the venom.
Even though it is deadly, researchers are hoping that the venom paves the way for new drugs which could treat addiction, cancer & pain.
Frank Mari, of the Florida Atlantic University said this venom was used by the mollusk in order to immobilize prey which includes worms, fish and other snails. He further added that it contained a number of compounds that had medicinal properties.
A new study which was published in PNAS showed that researchers have developed a new way of analyzing the structure of the toxins from the venom with the help of bioinformatics and biochemical tools which allowed them to go deeper than they ever did before.
This method, involved the accurate measurement & analysis of the composition, structure & activity of a large number of proteins found inside the venom. It led to the unearthing of the maximum peptides ever found in a cone snail’s venom.
Paul Alewood of the University of Queensland said that most of these toxins were previously overlooked. He also said that they discovered 6 3D shaped molecules which were capable as drug leads. He suspects that they will help with future drug development.
Scientists have discovered twenty five frameworks in more than twenty years which have led to the creation of drugs or drug leads at least for various diseases. Researchers hope to find such molecules in the venom of other species as well with the help of this new analysis method.
