Abstract
Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) transcripts were isolated and sequenced from Crotalus simus tzabcan and Crotalus basiliscus, and compared to the sequences of other PLA2s to determine their functions. These transcripts were isolated as RNA, synthesized into DNA, cloned using E. coli bacteria, sequenced, and analyzed. C. s. tzabcan was found to have PLA2s resembling both crotoxin A and crotoxin B from Crotalus durissus terrificus, indicating that it has highly neurotoxic venom. C. basiliscus was found to have PLA2s resembling crotoxin B, but not crotoxin A, indicating that it has only slightly neurotoxic venom. PLA2 transcripts from C. s. tzabcan and C. basiliscus were found to be identical, suggesting that the species share a common ancestor. This research could be continued by isolating the PLA2 proteins from the venom of each snake, sequencing them, and testing their function. DNA transcripts found for these PLA2s could allow for further research about the structure-function relationship in PLA2 proteins using gene modification, providing new information for drug delivery and cancer research.