Cone Snail Venom: The Best Offense Is A Good Defense

One of the most potent toxins in venomous cone snails likely started as a defense against hungry fish. Image from Figure 4, Jin et al. 2015 Cone snails are among the most venomous animals on the planet, with some species able to kill an adult human in a matter of minutes. Some species hunt worms, some hunt other snails, and some even hunt fast-moving fish, the last of which are the most dangerous to us. Evolutionary studies suggest that ancestral cone snails were worm-eaters, and that fish-eating is a relatively new phenomenon. Which begs the question: how does a snail go from a slow-moving worm-hunter to a quick-striking fish-hunter? A team of scientists thinks they may have found the answer: the snails turned defensive toxins into attack weaponry. All cone snail venoms consist largely of conotoxins, biologically active peptides that target muscles and neurons. Hundreds — and even thousands — ...