Mapping of antibody binding epitopes of a recombinant Poa p IX allergen

Antibody binding epitopes of a recombinant Poa p IX allergen were delineated using recombinant DNA and solid-phase peptide synthesis procedures. The full-length cDNA clone KBG60 and its four overlapping recombinant fragments, KBG60.1, KBG60.2, KBG8.3 and KBG10 which spanned the entire molecule were synthesized in E. coli with aid of the plasmid expression vector, pWR590.1. The antigenic and allergenic sites of these recombinant proteins were analyzed by ELISA using human IgE and murine IgG antibodies. It was thus demonstrated that although the epitopes were found on all the fragments tested, the majority of these were located on a C-terminal fragment, rKBG8.3. Furthermore, synthetic peptides were also employed to identify the epitopes of rKBG60 protein. The use of antisera raised against native KBG pollen extract and the recombinant KBG8.3 protein to scan a total of 56 overlapping deca-penta peptides, covering the entire rKBG60 protein, revealed that 10 positive peptides involved in the antibody-binding site(s). Taken together, the results of these studies indicate that rKBG60 protein possesses at least 10 antibody binding epitopes.