Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Allosteric Modulators – Site <scp>II</scp> : <scp>GS</scp> ‐Omega/Kappa <scp>HxTx‐Hv1a</scp> Peptide

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ( n AChR) allosteric modulators – site II (IRAC MoA main group 32) are a new class of insecticides developed from peptides found in spider venom. It explores the history of spider venom toxicants generally and does a deep dive on one peptide, GS-omega/kappa HxTx-Hv1a, the only commercially available spider knottin peptide on the market and one that has gained increasing use in agricultural pest management. This class of insecticides represents a unique mode of action that is exciting for those interested in advances in pharmacology and toxicology, and is also of interest from an ecological perspective, as it is considered new insecticidal products derived from nature itself, which is arguably the most genius toxicologist of all. Given the insecticidal specificity of the Hv1a hexatoxin and its low vertebrate and mammalian toxicity, the benefits of Hv1a products are tremendous, especially for markets increasingly interested in reduced-risk chemistries.