Phospholipase A2 inhibitors (bPLIs) are encoded in the venom glandsof Lachesis muta (Crotalinae, Viperidae) snakes

ABSTRACT

Phospholipase A2 inhibitors (PLIs) are glycoproteins secreted by snake liver into the circulating blood aiming the self-protection against toxic venom phospholipases A2. In the present study, we describe the first complete nucleotide sequence of a bPLI from venom glands of a NewWorld snake, Lachesis muta. The deduced primary structure was compared to other known bPLIs and recent literature findings of other possible roles of PLIs in snakesare discussed.