title: Sequence analysis and antigenic cross-reactivity of a venom allergen, antigen 5, from hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets.
abstract: Ag 5 is a major allergen of vespid venom. The complete amino acid sequences of Ag 5 from two species each of hornets (Dolichovespula arenaria and maculata), wasps (Polistes annularis and exclamans), and yellow jackets (Vespula maculifrons and vulgaris) have been determined by amino acid sequencing and/or cDNA cloning. The sequence data reveal several conserved and variable regions for vespid Ag 5. The conserved regions show greater sequence similarity than do the less conserved regions to a family of proteins from human, mouse, and rat testis and to a class of pathogenesis-related proteins from tobacco and tomato leaves. Tests in the murine system for both T and B cell responses demonstrate a high degree of cross-reactivity of hornet Ag 5 with wasp or yellow jacket Ag 5 and a low degree of cross-reactivity of yellow jacket Ag 5 with wasp Ag 5. This pattern of cross-reactivity is in the same order as their sequence similarity.
authors.affiliation: Rockefeller University, New YorkP5 10021.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villalba
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Coscia
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014863:Wasps / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D014862:Wasp Venoms; C040583:white-faced hornet venom antigen 5