Identification and expression of an allergen Asp f 13 from Aspergillus fumigatus and epitope mapping using human IgE antibodies and rabbit polyclonal antibodies

The Aspergillus genus of fungi is known to be one of the most prevalent aeroallergens. On two-dimensional immunoblotting using patients' sera containing IgE specific for Asp f 13, an allergen with a molecular mass of 33 kDa and a pI of 6.2 was identified. This allergen was also present in A. fumigatus culture filtrates. Furthermore, the sequence of the Asp f 13 cDNA was identical to that for alkaline protease isolated from A. fumigatus and showed 42-49 %, identity of amino acids with two proteases from P. cyclopium and T. album and with the Pen c 1 allergen from P. citrinum. Asp f 13 coding sequences were expressed in Escherichia coli as a [His](6)-tagged fusion protein which was purified by Ni2+-chelate affinity chromatography. Recombinant Asp f 13 was recognized by rabbit polyclonal antibodies against Asp f 13 and by IgE antibodies from subject allergic to A. fumigatus. To identify and characterize the linear epitopes of this allergen, a combination of chemical and enzymatic cleavage and immunoblotting techniques, with subsequent N-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry, were performed. At least 13 different linear epitopes reacting with the rabbit anti-hsp f 13 antiserum were identified, located throughout the entire molecule. In contrast, IgE from A. fumigatus-sensitive patients bound to three immunodominant epitopes at the C-terminal of the protein.