CVRI investigators have uncovered how an American bullfrog protein known as saxiphilin binds to and inhibits the action of saxitoxin. This deadly neurotoxin, which is about one thousand times more potent than cyanide, is made by algal blooms known as ‘red tide’. If ingested from contaminated shellfish, the toxin blocks electrical signaling in nerves and muscles, leading to death. Red tides are becoming more common due to climate change and these findings may lead to new ways to detect and neutralize the toxin.