Plant Biotechnology Unit
at the IAM, BOKU
Research projects
Molecular characterization, regulation and function of genes coding for food allergens.
Molecular characterization, regulation and function of genes coding for food allergens.
Duration: 1996-1998; 1998-1999
Financed by: Austrian Science Foundation (FWF)
Pollen allergens from trees (Bet v 1, 2 and 3) were cloned, sequenced and produced as pure recombinant proteins previously. Bet v 1 shows striking sequence similarities to members of a large group of intracellular pathogenesis related proteins, which are expressed as part of a plants defense system. Furthermore there exists a striking sequence homology to proteins in various fruits and vegetables. Allergen genes from apple have been cloned and sequenced so far and it is foreseen to isolate homologues from c-DNA libraries of celery and carrot and from a genomic library of apricot to produce pure recombinant allergens for patient challenge. The results are expected to lead to the development of new concepts in allergen based immunotherapy. with the apple and apricot clones it is foreseen to characterize plant regulatory sequences and promoter regions to understand eventually the biological function of these allergen genes in the plants.
Involved Researchers at the IAM
- - Margit Laimer da Câmara Machado
- - Helene Pühringer
- - Institute of Experimental Pathology AKH-Vienna
- - Otto Scheiner
- - Karin Hoffmann-Sommergruber
- - Otto Scheiner
Rev.1.0 by Siegfried Huss