Conotoxin
Conotoxin (pronounced: koh-noh-tox-in) is a type of toxin that is produced by marine cone snails, specifically those from the genus Conus.
Etymology
The term "conotoxin" is derived from the genus name Conus and the Greek word "toxikon", which means "poison for arrows".
Definition
Conotoxins are small peptides consisting of 10 to 30 amino acid residues, many of which are post-translationally modified. These toxins target specific neuronal ion channels and receptors, making them useful tools for studying these systems and potential leads for the development of new pharmaceutical drugs.
Types of Conotoxins
There are several different types of conotoxins, which are classified based on their specific target and structure. These include:
- Alpha-conotoxins: These conotoxins target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
- Omega-conotoxins: These conotoxins target voltage-gated calcium channels.
- Mu-conotoxins: These conotoxins target voltage-gated sodium channels.
- Delta-conotoxins: These conotoxins target voltage-gated sodium channels, but in a different way than mu-conotoxins.
Medical Uses
Due to their specificity, conotoxins have been used in the development of several pharmaceutical drugs. For example, the drug Ziconotide (Prialt) is a synthetic form of a conotoxin that is used to treat severe chronic pain.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Conotoxin
- Wikipedia's article - Conotoxin
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