Alpha-Conotoxins: Selective Probes For Nicotinic Receptor Subtype Structure And Function

来自澳大利亚海岸沃茨的海洋蜗牛在它们的毒液中产生一种叫做芋螺毒素的惊人的各种微型蛋白质，它们用这种蛋白质来捕获猎物。这些芋螺毒素非常特异性地与我们体内与神经信号传递相关的受体结合。我们将使用天然和合成修饰的芋螺毒素来选择性地阻断特定类型的神经元“受体”，以更好地了解神经系统的功能。 这些知识将有助于设计治疗各种疾病和病症的新药。基本上，我们将使用锥形蜗牛开发的化学武器来设计最先进的微型蛋白质药物。

Marine snails from the waters off the Australian coast produce an amazing variety of mini-proteins in their venoms called conotoxins that they use to capture prey. These conotoxins bind very specifically to receptors in our body associated with the transmission of nerve signals. We will use natural and synthetically modified conotoxins to selectively block particular types of neuronal 'receptors' to gain a greater understanding of how the nervous system functions. This knowledge will help in the design of new drugs to treat a variety of diseases and disorders. Essentially we will use a chemical armoury developed by the cone snail to design state-of-the-art mini-protein drugs.