Identification, expression, and immuno-reactivity of Sol i 2 & Sol i 4 venom proteins of queen red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
We report on two low-molecular weight proteins that are stored in the venom of queen red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). Translated amino acid sequences identified one protein to have 74.8% identity with the Sol i 2w worker allergen, and the other protein was found to have 96/97% identity with Sol i 4.01w/4.02w worker allergens. Both Sol i 2 and Sol i 4 queen and worker proteins were expressed using pEXP1-DEST vector in SHuffle™ T7 Express lysY Escherichia coli. Proteins were expressed at significant concentrations, as opposed to the μg/ml amounts by our previous expression methods, enabling further study of these proteins. Sol i 2q protein bound weakly to human IgE, sera pooled from allergic patients, whereas Sol i 2w, Sol i 4.01w, and Sol i 4q proteins bound strongly. Despite Sol i 2w and Sol i 2q proteins having 74.8% identity, the queen protein is less immuno-reactive than the worker allergen. This finding is consistent with allergic individuals being less sensitive to queen than worker venom.
Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3131, USA. stephanie.lockwood@ttu.edu
Stephanie A
SA
Lockwood
Jilla
J
Haghipour-Peasley
Donald R
DR
Hoffman
Richard J
RJ
Deslippe
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001000:Ants / Q000737:chemistry*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000378:metabolism; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013781:Texas
D000862:Ant Venoms; D007106:Immune Sera; D019476:Insect Proteins; C080289:Sol i II protein, Solenopsis invicta; D007073:Immunoglobulin E