Sea-Snail Venom Holds Key to Diabetes Medication
The venom of a carnivorous sea snail could hold the key for artificial, fast-acting insulin for diabetes patients, an Australian study has found. Researchers from Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) discovered the unusual three-dimensional structure of the insulin, a hormone that turns glucose ingested into liver and skeletal muscle cells, within the cone snail’s venom, Xinhua news agency reported. Mike Lawrence, leader of WEHI’s participation in the research, said the discovery was a significant step and would enable scientists to engineer an artificial version of the fast-acting insulin.…
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