Purification, characterization and N-terminal amino acid sequence of a new major allergen from European chestnut pollen--Cas s 1.
Pollens from trees of the order Fagales (e.g. birch, alder, hazel, and hornbeam) all contain one major allergen--the main cause for tree pollen allergy. So far the major allergens from birch (Bet v 1), alder (Aln g 1), hazel (Cor a 1), and hornbeam (Car b 1) have been characterized, showing high sequence similarity with each other (1-4). We present the molecular and immunologic characterization of Cas s 1, the major allergen from the European chestnut (Castanea sativa). From aqueous pollen extracts from European chestnut a protein was purified to homogeneity and was subjected to further investigation. The protein revealed a Mr of 22 kDa and was shown to represent the major allergen of the European chestnut (immunoblotting, histamine release) and designated Cas s 1. Despite a marked difference in Mr, Cas s 1 shows significant amino acid sequence similarity at the N-terminus and is antigenically closely related to the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 (17 kDa), as shown by binding to the anti-Bet v 1 monoclonal antibody BIP-1 and by IgE-inhibition tests using recombinant Bet v 1.
Kos
T
T
Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Hoffmann-Sommergruber
K
K
Ferreira
F
F
Hirschwehr
R
R
Ahorn
H
H
Horak
F
F
Jager
S
S
Sperr
W
W
Kraft
D
D
Scheiner
O
O
D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005060:Europe; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012016:Reference Values; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014197:Trees
D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal