N-terminus of a major allergen, Alt a I, of Alternaria alternata defined to be an epitope.
A 20mer peptide representing the N-terminus of a major allergen, Alt a I, of Alternaria alternata was synthesized and examined for its antibody binding and antibody induction activities. Alt a I peptide-BSA conjugate reacted with both human IgE and rabbit anti-Alt a I IgG in ELISA, albeit the binding of the peptide to IgE was relatively weak. Control conjugate showed no antibody binding. These results indicated that the N-terminus of Alt a I is an antibody binding site. Moreover, peptide-KLH conjugate and nonconjugated peptide induced both IgG and IgE antibodies in Balb/c mice that recognized both native Alt a I allergen and peptide-BSA conjugate. Since the free peptide was able to induce antibodies in vivo, the peptide may also possess a T cell epitope.
Zhang
L
L
Life Sciences Division, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa.
Curran
I H
IH
Muradia
G
G
De Vouge
M W
MW
Rode
H
H
Vijay
H M
HM
D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D000528:Alternaria / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits
C096258:ALTA1 protein, Alternaria alternata; D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D000939:Epitopes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010455:Peptides