Crotamine: Function Diversity and Potential Applications

Abstract

The snake venom is composed by a complex combination of components (namely, proteins and/or enzymes, peptides, nucleic acids, among others) known as toxins, which are designed in principle to act essentially on prey’s cardiovascular system or on specific tissues as, for instance, muscles (skeletal or smooth muscles) and central nervous system (CNS). Crotamine is one ofthe most abundant components of the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, corresponding to about 12–25 % ofthe dry weight ofthe crude venom. Several data reported by the group in the last decade suggested that this polypeptide may also be a promising tool for biotechnological and biomedical applications. In addition, it may also represent a potential structural model for the development ofnew drugs. Most significant evidences ofcrotamine versatility for diverse applications will be discussed in the present work, including: (1) the ability to translocate biological membranes and penetrate into highly proliferative cells; (2) the specificity for intracellular compartments, particularly nucleus and lysosomes; (3) the ability to carry nucleic acids, and other molecules, into cells, which could make it useful as a transfection vector; (4) the antimicrobial property with remarkable activity against some yeasts and fungus; and (5) the cytotoxic activity against cancer cells with the ability to stop the growth of certain tumors in vivo. In addition, other recently described biological activities of crotamine as the antiparasitic (antimalarial and anthelmintic) activity, as well its action on CNS, are described here.