Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
The complete amino acid sequences of the Lys-49 PLA2s from the venom of Deinagkistrodon acutus (from Taiwan and China) and Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus (Taiwan habu) were solved by a facile cDNA cloning and sequencing method. The deduced amino acid sequences of the Lys-49 PLA2s of both venoms are identical, suggesting close phylogenic relationship between this two snake species of different genera. In addition, by cloning and cDNA sequencing, the mRNA coding for a Arg-49 PLA2 homolog of low expression level was also found in the venom gland of T. mucrosquamatus.