ABSTRACT
Conotoxins are produced by cone snails as an assemblage of venom peptides which are targeted for defending and prey capturing purposes. They are made up of peptide precursors, which are made up of three significant regions: a propeptide region, a mature peptide region, and a conserved signal peptide area. Because these peptides target a wide range of G protein-coupled receptors, enzymes, ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels, and neurotransmitter transporters, they have piqued the interest of researchers and drug designers. The conotoxins or cone snails may, thus, act as a key for the development of next-generation potent analgesic drugs, and a possible treatment for neurological disorders, cancers, etc. It is estimated that cone snails secrete about 7,000 conotoxins but only less than 1% of them are pharmacologically characterised. In this chapter, we highlight the structural diversity, distribution, biology, and toxicity of conotoxins. We also discuss the mechanism of action, safety, and precautionary measures along with their broad-spectrum applications in therapeutics.
