title: Kiwellin, a modular protein from green and gold kiwi fruits: evidence of in vivo and in vitro processing and IgE binding.
abstract: Kiwellin, an allergenic protein formerly isolated from green kiwi fruit, has been identified as the most abundant component of the gold kiwi species. A protein named KiTH, showing a 20 kDa band on reducing SDS-PAGE and 100% identity with the C-terminal region of kiwellin, has been identified in the extract of the ripe green species. In vitro treatment of purified kiwellin with the protease actinidin from green kiwi fruit originated KiTH and kissper, a recently described pore-forming peptide. Primary structure analysis and experimental evidence suggest that kiwellin is a modular protein with two domains. It may undergo in vivo proteolytic processing by actinidin, thus producing KiTH and kissper. When probed with sera recognizing kiwellin from green kiwi fruit, KiTH showed IgE binding, with reactivity levels sometimes different from those of kiwellin. The IgE-binding capacity of kiwellin from gold kiwi fruit appears to be similar to that of the green species.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, I-80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tuppo
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giangrieco
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Maria Livia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carratore
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: M Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ciardiello
mesh_terms: D029042:Actinidia / Q000737:chemistry; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein
chemical_list: D052179:Antigens, Plant; D010936:Plant Extracts; C507612:kiwellin protein, Actinidia chinensis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E