Sarafotoxins

Venomous animals in general, and snakes in particular, have developed diffe rents strategies for immobilizing their prey. For this purpose, they overpr oduce proteic toxins in their venom glands, characterized by their high sta bility, diversity of mode of action, and specificity of physiological targe ts. Among these compounds, saraforoxins display a toxicity, a three-dimensi onal organization, and a mode of action different from other snake toxins. Furthermore, sarafotoxins have endogenous equivalents in mammals : the endo thelins, characterized by an hormonal metabolism and mode of action. Today, combination of classical biochemical studies together with molecular biolo gical approaches, allow a better understanding of the relationships and dif ferences existing between sarafotoxins and endothelins.