Cloning and expression of Der f 6, a serine protease allergen from the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae

House dust mite allergen is thought to be a major cause of asthma. Characte rization of these allergen molecules is therefore an important step for the development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic agents against mite-as sociated allergic disorders. Here we report molecular cloning and expressio n of the group 6 (chymotrypsin-like) allergen from the house dust mite, Der matophagoides farinae. Sequencing analysis indicates that cloned cDNA, desi gnated Der f 6, encodes a 279 amino acid polypeptide which conserves a prim ary structure characteristic for chymotrypsin-like serine proteases found i n mammals. Recombinant Der f 6 expressed in Escherichia coli bound IgE in a pool made of 20 sera, and induced histamine release from patients' periphe ral blood cells. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.