Neurotoxins

Neurotoxins are chemicals that disrupt the nervous system. Neurons send neurotransmitters to other neurons, which is the form of communications organisms use to communicate within its body. Neurotoxins block the neurotransmitter receptor sites, so the signal would not be transmitted. The genes have evolved to produce a neurotoxin called clacicludine. Calcicludine is a 60-amino acid long polypeptide. The amino acid is made up of six cysteines which form three disulfide bridges. The disulfide bridges that are formed provide a stable structure for the calcicludine. The bonds inhibit any extra folding of the proteins, meaning that the protein would remain in its shape. A change in the shape of a protein would change the function of that particular protein. The three disulfide bonds that calcicludine has means that the development of the venom has become important to the survival of the eel. Calcicludine is a protein that blocks voltage-gated calcium channels.