Recombinant SNAP-25 is an effective substrate for Clostridium botulinum type A toxin endopeptidase activity in vitro.

Bacterial neurotoxins are now being used routinely for the treatment of neuromuscular conditions. Alternative assays to replace or to complement in vivo bioassay methods for assessment of the safety and potency of these botulinum neurotoxin-based therapeutic products are urgently needed. Advances made in understanding the mode of action of clostridial neurotoxins have provided the basis for the development of alternative mechanism-based assay methods.