title: Expression and characterization of a new isoform of the 9 kDa allergenic lipid transfer protein from tomato (variety San Marzano).
abstract: Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are food allergens found first in fruits of the Rosaceae family and later identified in other food plants. Their high structural stability causes them to behave as allergens in cooked and processed foods. Allergenic LTPs have been identified in tomato fruits as well, but studies of their thermal stability and structural characteristics are limited. In this article we report the identification of the coding region for a novel 9 kDa LTP isoform in the tomato variety San Marzano, together with the expression of the recombinant mature protein. The purified recombinant protein was further characterized for its thermal stability and was found to bind 1-palmitoil-2-lysophosphatidylcholine (Lyso-C16) after thermal treatments up to 105 °C. Analysis of a modeling derived structure of the protein allowed the identification of possible epitope regions on the molecular surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariateresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpicella
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Immacolata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fanizza
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rinalducci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Placido
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: l.ceci@ibbe.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Luigi R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Ceci
mesh_terms: D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C030363:lipid transfer protein
keywords: Food allergy; Lipid transfer protein; Tomato