Document Detail


Cockroach allergen Bla g 2: an unusual aspartic proteinase.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15990787     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Enzymatic activity of mite, fungal, and bee venom allergens is thought to potentiate their allergenicity. Bla g 2 is a potent cockroach allergen, but despite sharing sequence homology with aspartic proteinases, it contains critical amino acid substitutions that impair proteolytic activity. The biologic function of Bla g 2 remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the effects of specific amino acid substitutions on enzymatic activity, and the peptide-binding capability of Bla g 2. METHODS: Site-directed mutagenesis was used to produce a recombinant Bla g 2 mutant (Mut) with corrected canonical triads and a flap region. Another mutant (MutF - ) was expressed after additional mutations in the flap region of Mut. Bla g 2 wild-type (Wt), Mut, and MutF - were assayed for aspartic proteinase activity, and Bla g 2 Wt was tested for pepstatin binding. RESULTS: Recombinant Bla g 2 Wt and Mut did not show enzymatic activity in a milk-clotting and hemoglobin assay. By using a modified hemoglobin assay, residual activity inhibited by pepstatin was detected for MutF - and Wt at 20 microg/mL, whereas pepsin was active at a 1000-fold lower concentration. Most of Bla g 2 binding to pepstatin-agarose was nonspecific. CONCLUSION: Residual proteolytic activity was found for Bla g 2 at concentrations of approximately 4 mM. This weak activity suggests that proteolysis is not the primary function of this allergen and that it is unlikely to contribute to the allergenicity of Bla g 2. Bla g 2 has a cleft that might specifically bind ligands other than pepstatin.
Authors:
Sabina Wünschmann; Alla Gustchina; Martin D Chapman; Anna Pomés
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology     Volume:  116     ISSN:  0091-6749     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.     Publication Date:  2005 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-07-01     Completed Date:  2005-08-09     Revised Date:  2009-11-19    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  1275002     Medline TA:  J Allergy Clin Immunol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  140-5     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
INDOOR Biotechnologies, Inc, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA. sabina@inbio.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / genetics,  immunology,  metabolism*
Cockroaches / immunology
Enzyme Activation / immunology
Molecular Sequence Data
Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
Pepstatins / metabolism
Recombinant Proteins / genetics,  immunology,  metabolism*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Pepstatins; 0/Recombinant Proteins; EC 3.4.23.-/Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; EC 3.4.23.-/allergen Bla g 2

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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