Perspectives in Molecular Toxinology

In this volume the editors have reviewed the most recent major advances in our understanding of toxins from venomous animals and microbes and their targets in mammals, insects and other animals. To approach these challenging aspects, the authors have posed crystal-clear questions based on the most precise acquired knowledge. *What can be learnt from genomics and proteomics?

*What are the intimate modes of action of toxins on ion channels, receptors, enzymes, cell membranes?

*What is the molecular basis of specificity and more generally of pleiotropism of toxins?

*What else can be learnt about toxin tertiary structures and dynamics?

*How can we enhance our understanding of target architecture and complex toxin-target structures?

*Are toxins subject to accelerated evolution?

*Can they be exploited as models for the design of new drugs?

*What does the future hold for the treatment of snake bites? These are just some of the many questions that have been addressed in this book. Complete answers may not always be readily apparent, but the attendant reasoning shows how toxinology has become an important area of biochemistry, directly associated with advances in cellular microbiology, molecular pharmacology, molecular physiology, cell biology, protein engineering, and other disciplines.