Comparison of Serum Phospholipase A2 Activities of All Known Extant Crocodylian Species

Abstract

Serum samples from all 23 extant crocodilian species were tested for phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity against nine different bacterial species. The data were used to generate a PLA2 activity profile for each crocodilian species, and the data were used to compare the activities of the three main lineages (Alligatoridae, Crocodylidae, and Gavialidae), the seven different genera, and to compare all of the 23 individual species. The data revealed that the three lineages ofcrocodilians (Alligatoridae, Crocodylidae, and Gavialidae) exhibited PLA2 activities toward nine species of bacteria that were statistically distinguishable. In addition, the PLA2 activities of crocodilians in a specific genus tended to be more similar to other members in their genus than to members of other crocodilian genera.