Abstract: Novel mammalian phospholipase (PLA.sub.2) nucleotide sequences and low molecular weight (about 14KD) amino acid sequences encoded thereby are disclosed. More particularly, a cloned human HPLA.sub.2 cDNA expressing HPLA.sub.2 -10 and its cloned rat RPLA.sub.2 cDNA counterpart, expressing RPLA.sub.2 -10, which are characterized as PLA.sub.2 Type IV, are disclosed. A second type of PLA.sub.2 cDNA, characterized as PLA.sub.2 Type III and exemplified by a rat PLA.sub.2 cDNA encoding RPLA.sub.2 -8 and a partial human PLA.sub.2 nucleotide sequence encoding HPLA.sub.2 -8, is disclosed. Expression of the cDNAs encode the two new types of PLA.sub.2 enzymes which have phospholipase activity. The novel PLA.sub.2 s do not include disulfide bridges between cysteine amino acids 11 and 77 or elapid loops. However, the novel PLA.sub.2 s may include amino acid COOH-terminal extensions which can vary in length. Seventeen of the eighteen absolutely conserved amino acids in all active 14KD PLA.sub.