SEA SNAIL VENOM COULD HELP TREAT DIABETES

A new form of insulin, inspired by venomous sea snails, could offer better treatments for diabetics. The hormone insulin was discovered nearly 100 years ago and in humans, it helps regulate blood sugar. But some predatory cone snails use it as a weapon, releasing it into the water to cause their prey’s blood glucose levels to plummet, paralysing them for long enough for the snail to make the kill. Scientists from the University of Utah have now combined the effectiveness of human insulin with the fast-acting potential of the snail insulin to develop a better, hybrid version of the hormone, which they call ‘mini-insulin’.