Curses or Cures: A Review of the Numerous Benefits Versus the Biosecurity Concerns of Conotoxin Research
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Curses or Cures : A Review of the Numerous Benefits Versus the Biosecurity Concerns of Conotoxin Research. / Bjørn-Yoshimoto, Walden E.; Ramiro, Iris Bea L.; Yandell, Mark; McIntosh, J. Michael; Olivera, Baldomero M.; Ellgaard, Lars; Safavi-Hemami, Helena.
In: Biomedicines, Vol. 8, No. 8, 235, 2020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Curses or Cures
T2 - A Review of the Numerous Benefits Versus the Biosecurity Concerns of Conotoxin Research
AU - Bjørn-Yoshimoto, Walden E.
AU - Ramiro, Iris Bea L.
AU - Yandell, Mark
AU - McIntosh, J. Michael
AU - Olivera, Baldomero M.
AU - Ellgaard, Lars
AU - Safavi-Hemami, Helena
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Conotoxins form a diverse group of peptide toxins found in the venom of predatory marine cone snails. Decades of conotoxin research have provided numerous measurable scientific and societal benefits. These include their use as a drug, diagnostic agent, drug leads, and research tools in neuroscience, pharmacology, biochemistry, structural biology, and molecular evolution. Human envenomations by cone snails are rare but can be fatal. Death by envenomation is likely caused by a small set of toxins that induce muscle paralysis of the diaphragm, resulting in respiratory arrest. The potency of these toxins led to concerns regarding the potential development and use of conotoxins as biological weapons. To address this, various regulatory measures have been introduced that limit the use and access of conotoxins within the research community. Some of these regulations apply to all of the ≈200,000 conotoxins predicted to exist in nature of which less than 0.05% are estimated to have any significant toxicity in humans. In this review we provide an overview of the many benefits of conotoxin research, and contrast these to the perceived biosecurity concerns of conotoxins and research thereof.
AB - Conotoxins form a diverse group of peptide toxins found in the venom of predatory marine cone snails. Decades of conotoxin research have provided numerous measurable scientific and societal benefits. These include their use as a drug, diagnostic agent, drug leads, and research tools in neuroscience, pharmacology, biochemistry, structural biology, and molecular evolution. Human envenomations by cone snails are rare but can be fatal. Death by envenomation is likely caused by a small set of toxins that induce muscle paralysis of the diaphragm, resulting in respiratory arrest. The potency of these toxins led to concerns regarding the potential development and use of conotoxins as biological weapons. To address this, various regulatory measures have been introduced that limit the use and access of conotoxins within the research community. Some of these regulations apply to all of the ≈200,000 conotoxins predicted to exist in nature of which less than 0.05% are estimated to have any significant toxicity in humans. In this review we provide an overview of the many benefits of conotoxin research, and contrast these to the perceived biosecurity concerns of conotoxins and research thereof.
KW - Biomedicine
KW - Biosecurity
KW - Cone snail
KW - Conopeptide
KW - Conotoxin
KW - Drugs
KW - Envenomations
KW - Fatalities
KW - Venom
U2 - 10.3390/BIOMEDICINES8080235
DO - 10.3390/BIOMEDICINES8080235
M3 - Review
AN - SCOPUS:85089700744
VL - 8
JO - Biomedicines
JF - Biomedicines
SN - 2227-9059
IS - 8
M1 - 235
ER -
ID: 247983732