#chemical weapon

[jcmarchi]

Atomic-Level Study Captures Frog Toxin In Action - Technology Org

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Atomic-Level Study Captures Frog Toxin In Action - Technology Org

Cryo-electron imaging studies of poison dart frog toxin molecules in action are helping to solve the mystery of why this is among the deadliest natural poisons.

Graphic abstract of Nature Communications paper on binding of poison dart frog toxin to sodium ion channels. Image credit: George Wisedchaisri, University of Washington

Some tiny Amazon frogs defend themselves when threatened by releasing a substance that quickly incapacitates a predator. For centuries, a few Indigenous tribes in Colombia have siphoned this toxin from skin glands on the frogs’ backs to coat blow darts for hunting, because of its power to take down big game.

The poison instantly cramps the muscles in the body and forces the heart into a chaotic rhythm that ends in cardiac arrest. The bright coloring of the frogs warns animals to stay away. Their chemical weapon is called batrachotoxin, a name based on the Greek root word for frog. 

“Predators that attack these dendrobatid frogs are paralyzed so rapidly that they can’t clamp down on the frogs to kill and eat them,” said one of the senior researchers on a recent batrachotoxin study, William Catterall, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. 

He noted that “it is so toxic that wiping the toxin secretion from the back of a single frog is sufficient to poison several blow darts, which will each immobilize or kill large prey.”

What makes their irreversible toxin more severe, compared with others that also target the signal-producing pores of nerve and muscle cells? 

It has long been known that batrachotoxin affects sodium ion channels, which control electrical pulses by regulating the flow of charged sodium particles through the membranes of these cells. 

“The toxin acts by hyperactivation of the sodium channel that generates action potentials in nerve and muscle, thereby causing a lethal storm of hyperactivity of nerves, synapses and muscle cells,” Catterall said. 

By using high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy, a research team led by pharmacologists at the University of Washington School of Medicine have determined, at the atomic level, the structure of the toxin derivative batrachotoxin-A benzoate when it is bound to its receptor site on the cardiac sodium channel. 

Unexpectedly, the researchers discovered that, unlike other toxins, batrachotoxin actually binds to two separate but similar receptor sites in the cardiac sodium channel. This dual-receptor action, and its multifaceted effects, provide unprecedented insights into why this poison is so effective, powerful and deadly. 

The toxin’s unique mechanism for high potency and lethality might also establish a new paradigm that helps to explain the actions of other toxins with high lethality, the researchers suggested. 

Such studies might also lead to better therapies for conditions resulting from certain electrical signaling problems in excitable cells and tissues, such as those in the heart, muscles, nerves and brain that are caused by malfunction of a sodium channel. 

For example, Catterall suggested, drugs designed to be robust inhibitors at both dual-receptor sites discovered in this study might also be valuable therapeutic agents in the treatment of disorders of hyperexcitability of nerve and heart cells. Such disorders include epilepsy, chronic pain and arrhythmias.

Source: University of Washington

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#Amazon #Animals #atomic #Biotechnology news #Brain #cardiac arrest #Cells #channel #chemical #chemical weapon #Chemistry & materials science news #chronic pain #clamp #communications #cryo-electron microscopy #Dart #disorders #drugs #effects #electron #epilepsy #frogs #game #heart #High-Resolution #Imaging #insights #it #LED #Link

[tranzombie]

enough of girl math what about boy division

#mcr #gerard way #my chemical romance #mikey way #frank iero #boy division #conventional weapons #girl math #three cheers for sweet revenge #danger days #mcr5 #meme #emo trinity

[disarmamentawarenessday]

Strengthening partnerships for disarmanent.

Weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, continue to be of primary concern, owing to their destructive power and the threat that they pose to humanity. The excessive accumulation in conventional weapons and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jeopardizes international peace and security and sustainable development, while the use of explosive weapons in populated areas is seriously endangering civilians. New and emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, pose a challenge to global security and have received increased attention from the international community in recent years

#biological weapons #Arms #arms control #Disarmament #Non Proliferation #Amunition #Chemical weapon #nuclear weapons #cybersecurity services #explosive weapons #small arms #stokpiles #Weapons of mass destruction #peace and security #take action #challenge to global security

[sososososososomething]

continuing my arc as a conventional weapons truther

#conventional weapons #mcr #art #my chemical romance #danger days #make room!!!!

[gay-vampire-with-a-violin]

#mcr #my chemical romance #mad gear and missile kid #black parade #living with ghosts #life on the murder scene #lotms #conventional weapons #mine #the creature speaks

[spideybonez]

can we talk about how insane burn bright is. kissed all the boys in your city lights. not ashamed of what i am. they always told me that you'll never get to heaven with a love like yours. cause it makes me who i am. and you made me who i am. be afraid of what i am.

#INSANE lyrics missus way #like truely. Why do we not talk about cw because it's just banger after banger and then IT ENDS ON BURN BRIGHT WHICH IS SO???? #it's crazy #anywho stream burn bright by mcr for clear skin /j #mcr #my chemical romance #conventional weapons #gerard way #si yaps

[bread2000yeat]

silly goofy autism moment (new mcr iceberg)

if you think smth should be moved or removed reblog lol id love to hear comments

#my chemical romance #gerard way #mcr #waterparks #frank iero #ray toro #frank ireo #my chem #black parade era #mcr mikey #mcr return #mcr tag #iceberg #autism #special interest #bob bryar #matt pelissier #conventional weapons #three cheers for sweet revenge #the black parade

[edenexxe]

#mcr #my chemical romance #ibymbybmyl #i brought you my bullets you brought me your love #three cheers for sweet revenge #tcfsr #the black parade #ddttlotfk #ttlotfk #danger days the true lives of the fabulous killjoys #danger days #conventional weapons

[faggyv4mpire]

#It's not the fifth album if we count weapons #i know its not an album but for me it is damnn #gerard way #my chemical romance #my chemical frank #my chemical fucking romance #mcr #my chemical gerard #my chem romance #ray toro #mikey way #frank iero #mcr5 is real #mcr5 truthing #mcr5 #mcr5 theory #frnkiero #black parade era #mcr gerard

[thepsychopompsthrenody]

so i think @scarletbirbs has a point here

#my chemical romance #gerard way #mikey way #ray toro #frank iero #i brought you my bullets you brought me your love #three cheers for sweet revenge #the black parade #tbp #danger days #conventional weapons #foundations of decay #mcr #my chem

[fishwithlegsandaheart]

this is the type of song that just makes you bust like uncontrollably

society moved past this banger a bitttt too quickly for my liking

#boy division #conventional weapons #mcr #my chemical romance #my chemical fucking romance #gerard way #frank iero #music #mikey way

[d0cshartens]

CATEGORY FIVE MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE EMERGENCY

#my chemical romance #mcr #conventional weapons #mine #gerard way #frank iero #ray toro #mikey way

[val-velociraptor]

You would think the anti-establishment gay sex website would be talking a lot more about a song explicitly criticising the US military and military culture . Why does no one love Gun. hurry up and realise how good this song is !!

#mcr #my chemical fucking romance #my chemical romance #conventional weapons

[human-timelord]

Im once again being viscerally reminded how queer burn bright actually is. With stand out lyrics such as:

'Kissed all the boys in your city lights'

'I lost my way in your city lights'

'Not ashamed of what i am...cause it makes me who i am'

'They always told me you never get to heaven with a love like yours'

'Be afraid of what i am'

But in general the whole song has a very queer 'fuck you, this is who i am and im not gonna let anyone change me' attitude. Plus on top of all that it has some exquisite guitar parts that make my ears very happy

#yesterday it was famous last words #today its burn bright #i wonder which song I'll get obsessed with tomorrow #burn bright #my chemical romance #conventional weapons #mcr #gerard way #mikey way #ray toro #frank iero

[infecto-groovalistic]

the date is march 21, 2013. you turn off your mp3 player, pausing on 'burn bright' by my chemical romance. you wonder if there will be a number six, because it's been a month since number five was released. you're very excited at this idea, and drift off to sleep with thoughts of seeing mcr live and number six and the killjoys. you look forward to waking up tomorrow to listen to more mcr and talk about your favorite band with your friends, certain nothing could go wrong.

#yippee #idk if the band said there wouldnt be a number six this is just for the scenario :p #mcr #my chemical romance #gerard way #frank iero #mikey way #ray toro #conventional weapons

[sometimes-i-make-mcr-fanart]

Finally one with less than 12 so no one’s getting left out or combined.

#mcr #my chemical romance #simmcrfa #my chem #mikey way #gerard way #frank iero #ray toro #conventional weapons #tumblr polls #polls #mcr poll