C. Dolecek et al., MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF PHL P-II, A MAJOR TIMOTHY GRASS (PHLEUM-PRATENSE) POLLEN ALLERGEN, FEBS letters, 335(3), 1993, pp. 299-304
Grass pollen allergens belong to the most important and widespread eli
citors of pollen allergy. Using serum IgE from a grass pollen allergic
patient, a complete cDNA encoding a group II allergen was isolated fr
om a timothy grass (Phleum pratense) pollen expression library. The de
duced amino acid sequence of the Phlp II allergen shows an average seq
uence identity of 61% with the protein sequences determined for group
II/III allergens from rye grass (Lolium perenne) and a sequence identi
ty of 43% with the C-terminal portion of group I grass pollen allergen
s from different species. A hydrophobic leader peptide similar to lead
er peptides found in other major grass pollen allergens heads the dedu
ced amino acid sequence, indicating that group II/III grass pollen all
ergens belong to a family of secreted proteins. Serum IgE specific for
Phlp II, detected the protein exclusively in pollen and not in other
plant tissues. The recombinant Phlp II was expressed in Escherichia co
li and showed similar IgE-binding capacity as the natural allergen.