These enzymes aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, phospholipids, and nucleotides in prey. Toxic enzymes also function to lower blood pressure, destroy red blood cells, and inhibit muscle control. An additional component of snake venom is polypeptide toxin. Polypeptides are chains of amino acids, consisting of 50 or fewer amino acids. Polypeptide toxins disrupt cell functions leading to cell death. Some toxic components of snake venom are found in all poisonous snake species, while other components are found only in specific species.
