Cone Shell Toxins and the Mechanisms of Their Pharmacological Action

Abstract

The present review mainly focusses on our recent findings on the structure and mechanism of action of bioactive compounds from cone shells. Cone shells are divided into three groups according to their major prey organisms: worm-eating (vermivorous), shellfish-eating (molluscivorous), and fish-eating (piscivorous). Each species has a venom that reflects the dominant target animals. Various kinds of toxins with novel pharmacological properties have been isolated from cone shell venoms: Conus geographus (geographutoxins I and II, α-, μ-, and ω-conotoxins), C. striatus (striatoxin), C. magus (myotoxin MgTX), C. eburneus (eburnetoxin), C. tessulatus (tessulatoxin), C. textile (arachidonic acid). We also discuss the growing importance of these stinging toxins as tools for studies aimed at elucidating the function of ion channels.KeywordsCone ShellPrey OrganismPeptide ToxinVenom DuctRadular ToothThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.