Bungarotoxin

Bungarotoxins are a group of closely related neurotoxic proteins of the three-finger toxin superfamily found in the venom of kraits including Bungarus multicinctus.  α-Bungarotoxin inhibits the binding of acetylcholine (ACh) to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors; β- and γ-bungarotoxins act presynaptically causing excessive acetylcholine release and subsequent depletion. Both α and β forms have been characterized, the α being similar to the long or Type II neurotoxins from other elapid venoms.

There are four types:

 α-Bungarotoxin
 β-Bungarotoxin (not a three-finger toxin)
 γ-Bungarotoxin ()
 k-Bungarotoxin

History
Banded krait venom began to be studied by Chuan-Chiung Chang and Chen-Yuan Lee of the National Taiwan University in the 1950s; however, it was not until 1963 that its components were separated and isolated.

References 

Category:Ion channel toxins
Category:Nicotinic antagonists
Category:Vertebrate toxins
Category:Kraits