Phospholipin, a novel heterodimeric phospholipase A2 from Pandinus imperator scorpion venom

The primary structure of a phospholipase A2, with unique structural and fun ctional characteristics, was determined. The large subunit has 108 amino ac id residues, linked by a disulfide bridge to the small subunit, which conta ins 17 residues. Its gene was cloned from a cDNA library. The nucleotide se quence showed that the same RNA messenger encodes both subunits, separated only by a pentapeptide, that is processed during maturation, (C) 1999 Feder ation of European Biochemical Societies.