Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding a pollen extracellular protein as a potential source of a pollen allergen in Brassica rapa

A polyclonal antiserum was raised against the extracellular pollen proteins of Brassica rapa and used for screening the expression cDNA libraries made from immature anthers. We obtained five groups of cDNA clones, including cDNAs similar to PCP1, thioredoxin, and lipid transfer protein (LTP). Recombinant protein of the cDNA clone showing sequence similarity to LTP was demonstrated to bind IgE of a patient allergic to Brassica pollen. The cDNA clone reported here, therefore, represents a novel pollen allergen of Brassica rapa.Kinya Toriyama, Kazunori Hanaoka, Takashi Okada, Masao Watanab