Cone snails toxins, animal

The genus Conus comprises approximately five hundred species of predatory cone snails and is therefore, one of the largest, if not the largest, single genus of marine animals alive. Each species of snail produces a unique venom with between 50 and 200 components. These sulfur-rich peptides or conotoxins are neuropharmacologically active and modulate ion channel function [235]. Any attempt to deal with these toxins within this review would not be feasible and the reader is referred to other excellent reviews on the subject [235,236]. 

Bacteria, protozoa, and venomous animals synthesize numerous toxins that are used to kill their prey or to defend themselves. Sea anemones, jellyfish, cone snails, insects, spiders, scorpions, and snakes all make potent and highly specific neurotoxins. Plants form a host of alkaloids and other specialized products, some of which are specifically neurotoxic and able to deter predators. More than 500 species of marine cone snails of the genus Conus synthesize a vast array of polypeptide toxins (conotoxins), 487-489 some with unusual posttranslational modifications.490 491 The slow-moving snails are voracious predators that use their toxins, which they inject with a disposible harpoonlike tooth,492 to paralyze fish, molluscs, or worms.493... 

Generally speaking, the peptide toxins from marine animal sources are more natural product-like than their terrestrial counterparts, as on average they are smaller in size and more heavily modified. For this reason, in this chapter, we will concentrate on the peptide toxins expressed by cone snails and sea anemones as quintessential examples of natural peptide toxins suitable for therapeutic uses. 

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