New and Improved Deadly Snail Venom

SoyChemist writes "In 2004, the FDA approved the cone snail venom ziconotide (Prialt) for the treatment of chronic pain. It is only used for severe cases because it must be injected directly into the spinal column. This month, researchers from the University of Utah have reported the discovery of a new snail venom with a completely different amino acid sequence. Because it very selectively attaches to and blocks nerve signals by binding to a particular type of acetylcholine receptor without causing any collateral damage, the newly discovered venom could also become a fantastic medical tool."

Comments

Cone snails

[BWJones]

You really should see these snails hunt and eat fish .

Some years ago, I spent a bit of time in Toto Olivera's lab (the guy who pioneered all of the conotoxin research) and it was amazing to watch these snails follow, track and eventually harpoon and eat fish in the aquarium. It turns out that the poison these snails use is a complex cocktail of peptides and small molecules that act on a variety of protein channels with implications for everything from the pain mentioned in the article to anesthesia to anti-convulsants.

Re:Works faster than nerves conduct?

[fishthegeek]

That was Jurassic Park.

[about the poison on the darts in their guns]
Eddie Carr: The most powerful neurotoxin in the world. It works faster than the nerve conduction velocity, which means the animal's down before it actually feels the - P! - prick of the dart.
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Is there an antidote?
Eddie Carr: What, like if you shot yourself in the foot? Don't do that, you would be dead before you even knew you had an accident.

According to this article http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcg i?artid=25694 the effect of the venom is merely "near instantaneous" as opposed to the faster claim of Eddie Carr.