Molecular cloning of major and minor allergens of Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum

Abstract

The two moulds, Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum, are recognized as major causes of fungal allergies. Cloning, sequencing and heterologous expression of the allergens of the two moulds is a necessary step in understanding fungal allergy and in the development of new and improved methods of diagnosis and therapy. The seven new mould allergens presented here represent four new allergen proteins: aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), enolase, YCP4 (previously found as a Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein of unknown function), and the acidic ribosomal protein, P2. Three of them (ALDH, YCP4 and P2) were found to be allergens in both fungi, Alternaria and Cladosporium. All allergens found so far are cytoplasmic proteins and are rather well conserved in evolution even when comparing distant species. Most of the allergens have "household" functions (ALDH, enolase). One allergen (P2) is a homolog of a very highly conserved human lupus erythematodes (LE) antigen. None of the fungal allergens is clearly related to other known non-fungal allergens.