Crotamine
Venom Peptide / Cell-PenetratingAlso known as: CRT
Snake Venom PeptidesResearch phase: PreclinicalRegulatory: Not approved. Research compound.
Mechanism
Crotamine is a rattlesnake venom peptide that can penetrate cell membranes and deliver cargo into cells. It is being researched as a potential drug delivery and antitumor agent.
Technical detail
Crotamine is a 42-amino acid cationic myotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom with three disulfide bonds. It exhibits cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) properties, selectively entering actively proliferating cells via heparan sulfate-mediated endocytosis. It concentrates in the nucleus and has demonstrated selective antitumor activity in preclinical models.