α-nemertides, a novel family of marine peptide neurotoxins from ribbon worms

Toxinology of Venomous Marine Worms; A Review

Although the widespread distribution of venomous marine worms around the world, the structural and toxinologcal studies of their toxins are still limited.This study was aimed to evaluate the toxicity of poisonous marine worms. Touching the cilium of Chloeia flava and Sipuncula marine worms cause painful inflammation of the skin. Many species of nemertines prey their victims by a flexible prob...

A shore-based preliminary survey of marine ribbon worms (Nemertea) from the Caribbean coast of Colombia

A checklist of benthic ribbon worm species from the Caribbean coast of Colombia is presented, including synonyms, distributions, a photographic record, and the main morphologic characters of each species for a rapid identification. This is the first research focused broadly on nemerteans in Colombia. 54 specimens of nemerteans were hand-collected from the rocky littoral of two different localit...

Neurotoxins from Marine Dinoflagellates: A Brief Review

Dinoflagellates are not only important marine primary producers and grazers, but also the major causative agents of harmful algal blooms. It has been reported that many dinoflagellate species can produce various natural toxins. These toxins can be extremely toxic and many of them are effective at far lower dosages than conventional chemical agents. Consumption of seafood contaminated by algal t...

Discovery of Peptide-Based Antitoxins against Neurotoxins from Green and Black Mamba (Dendroaspis Family)

A novel family of insect-selective peptide neurotoxins targeting insect large-conductance calcium-activated K+ channels isolated from the venom of the theraphosid spider Eucratoscelus constrictus.

Spider venoms are actively being investigated as sources of novel insecticidal agents for biopesticide engineering. After screening 37 theraphosid spider venoms, a family of three new "short-loop" inhibitory cystine knot insecticidal toxins (κ-TRTX-Ec2a, κ-TRTX-Ec2b, and κ-TRTX-Ec2c) were isolated and characterized from the venom of the African tarantula Eucratoscelus constrictus. Whole-cell pa...