title: Purification, characterization and molecular cloning of Cha o 1, a major allergen of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress) pollen.
abstract: Pollen of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress) is one of the causes of allergic pollinosis in Japan. A major allergen of the pollen designated Cha o 1, was purified by two-step ion exchange chromatography. Cha o 1 was separated into four components with molecular masses of 48.5 kDa and 52.0 kDa, each with pIs of 6.77 and 6.82. The 23-residue N-terminal sequence of Cha o 1 was determined and shown to have high identity with that of Cry j 1, a major allergen of Cryptomeria japonica pollen. cDNA coding for Cha o 1 was cloned by hybridization screening using Cry j 1 cDNA as a probe. One of the cDNA clones, pCHA-1 was sequenced and found to code for a putative 21-residue signal peptide and a 354-residue native protein with a derived molecular mass of 38.1 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of Cha o 1 showed 79-80% identity with those of Cry j 1. These findings were consistent with observations of a close crossreaction between the two allergens. Homology analyses revealed that Cha o 1 had 46-49% identity with Amb a 1 families and Amb a 2, the major allergens of short ragweed. Cry j 1 has pectate lyase enzyme activity, suggesting that Cha o 1 may have the same enzyme activity as Cry j 1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komiyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kino
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens