Skip to main content
Log in

Molecular cloning and characterization of a profilin gene BnPFN from Brassica nigra that expressing in a pollen-specific manner

  • Published:
Molecular Biology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Brassica nigra is a newly found invasive species in Zhejiang Province, China. It distributes alongside the roads, in vegetable fields and on riversides. When it blooms, some natives there will suffer from allergic rhinitis. We designed gene-specific primer pairs according to reported profilin genes and successfully isolated their homolog from flower bud cDNA of B. nigra. The gene, designated BnPFN, was submitted to GenBank under accession number EU004073. BnPFN was 405 bp in length encoding 134 amino acids. Expression analysis of BnPFN gene was carried out by means of RT-PCR. The results showed that BnPFN express only in anthers and pollens, and there was no detection in roots, leaves, stems, sepals, petals and pistils. We suggest that BnPFN is a pollen-specific gene and may be responsible for pollen anaphylactic reactions in those invading areas when B. nigra blooms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mack RN, Lonsdale WM (2001) Humans as global plant dispersers: getting more than we bargained for. BioScience 51:95–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Vitousek PM, D’Antonio CM, Loope LL, Westbrooks R (1996) Biological invasions as global environmental change. Am Sci 84:468–478

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ewel JJ, O’Dowd DJ, Bergelson J, Daehler CC, D’Antonio CM, Gomez D, Gordon DR, Hobbs RJ, Holt A, Hopper KR, Hughes CE, Lahart M, Leakey RRB, Lee WG, Loope LL, Lorence DH, Louda SM, Lugo AE, Mcevoy PB, Richardson DM, Vitousek PM (1999) Deliberate introductions of species: research needs? Benefits can be reaped, but risks are high. BioScience 49:619–630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Reichard SH, White P (2001) Horticulture as a pathway of invasive plant introductions in the United States. BioScience 51:103–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Williamson M (1999) Invasions. Ecography 22:5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Pimentel D, Lach L, Zuniga R, Morrison D (2000) Environmental and economic costs associated with non indigenous species in the United States. BioScience 50:53–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Peter TJ, Harold AM (2006) The United States, China, and invasive species: present status and future prospects. Biol Invasions 8:1589–1593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Gadermaier G, Dedic A, Obermeyer G, Frank S, Himly M, Ferreira F (2004) Biology of weed pollen allergens. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 5:391–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Valenta R, Duchêne M, Pettenburger K, Sillaber C, Valent P, Bettelheim P, Breitenbach M, Rumpold H, Kraft D, Scheiner O (1991) Identification of profilin as a novel pollen allergen; IgE autoreactivity in sensitized individuals. Science 253:557–560

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Murray MG, Thompson WF (1980) Rapid isolation of high molecular weight plant DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 8:4321–4325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fedorov AA, Ball T, Mahoney NM, Valenta R, Almo SC (1997) The molecular basis for allergen cross-reactivity: crystal structure and IgE-epitope mapping of birch pollen profilin Structure 5:33–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Haarer BK, Brown SS (1990) Structure and function of profilin. Cell Motil Cytoskel 17:71–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ledesma A, Rodriguez R, Villalba M (1998) Olive-pollen profilin: Molecular and immunologic properties. Allergy 53:520–526

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wilkes DE, Otto JJ (2000) Molecular cloning of profilin from Tetrahymena thermophila. Gene 246:295–301

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lassing I, Lindberg U (1985) Specific interaction between phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate and profilactin. Nature 314:472–474

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sohn RH, Goldschmidt-Clermont PJ (1994) Profilin: at the crossroads of signal transduction and the actin cytoskeleton. BioEssays 16:465–472

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Staiger CJ, Gibbon BC, Kovar DR, Zonia LE (1997) Profilin and actin depolymerizing factor: modulators of actin organizationin plants. Trends Plant Sci 2:275–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sun HQ, Kwiatkowska K, Yin HL (1995) Actin monomer binding proteins. Curr Opin Cell Biol 7:102–110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hirschwehr R, Valenta R, Ebner C, Ferreira F, Sperr WR, Valent P, Rohac M, Rumpold H, Scheiner O, Kraft D (1992) Identification of common allergenic structures in hazel pollen and hazelnuts: a possible explanation for sensitivity to hazelnuts in patients allergic to tree pollen. Allergy Clin Immunol 92:927–936

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Pastorello EA, Incorvaia C, Pravettoni V, Farioli L, Conti A, Viganò G, Rivolta F, Ispano M, Rotondo F, Ortolani C (1998) New allergens in fruits and vegetables. Allergy 53:48–51

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kivity S, Dunnerk K, Marian Y (1994) The pattern of food hypersensitivity in patients with onset after 10 years of age. Clin Exp Allergy 24:19–22

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pastorello EA, Pravettoni V, Farioli L, Rivolta F, Conti A, Ispano M, Fortunato D, Bengtsson A, Bianchi M (2002) Hypersensitivity to mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) in patients with peach allergy is due to a common lipid transfer protein allergen and is often without clinical expression. Allergy Clin Immunol 110:310–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. van Ree R, Voitenko V, van Leeuwen WA, Aalberse RC (1992) Profilin is a cross-reactive allergen in pollen and vegetable foods. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 98:97–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Breiteneder H, Ebner C (2000) Molecular and biochemical classification of plant-derived food allergens. Allergy Clin Immunol 106:27–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Breiteneder H, Ebner C (2001) Atopic allergens of plant foods. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 1:261–267

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Breiteneder H, Radauer C (2004) A classification of plant food allergens. Allergy Clin Immunol 113:821–830

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Christensen HE, Ramachandran S, Tan CT, Surana U, Dong CH, Chua NH (1996) Arabidopsis profilins are functionally similar to yeast profilins: identification of a vascular bundle-specific profilin and a pollen-specific profilin. Plant J 10:269–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Yu LX, Nasrallah J, Valenta R, Parthasarathy MV (1998) Molecular cloning and mRNA localization of tomato pollen profilin. Plant Mol Biol 36:699–707

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Domke T, Federau T, Schluter K, Giehl K, Valenta R, Schomburg D, Jockusch BM (1997) Birch pollen profilin: structural organization and interaction with poly-(l-proline) peptides as revealed by NMR. FEBS Lett 411:291–295

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qinge Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, Q., Guo, Z. Molecular cloning and characterization of a profilin gene BnPFN from Brassica nigra that expressing in a pollen-specific manner. Mol Biol Rep 36, 135–139 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-007-9161-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-007-9161-8

Keywords

Navigation