DNA encoding a major mite allergen and the use thereof

Abstract: The invention provides a DNA encoding at least one part of the genetic information of a protein which has biochemical and immunological properties of a major allergen of Dermatophagoides farinae ( Derf II).

Description: The present invention relates to DNAs encoding a major allergen of house dust mites, replication vectors, plasmids, host cells and proteins which are related to the DNAs, and the use thereof. Allergic diseases generally have several kinds of symptoms which are developed by sensitization of antigen causing the diseases, in which IgE antibody (reagin antibody) specific for allergen in blood serum and tissue is produced, the antibody is exposed again to the antigen and the antibody reacts with the antigen in each tissue. There is a desensitization therapy as a method for curing drastically the allergic diseases. In the method, the causative antigen is repeatedly administered to a patient in small doses, while the dose is gradually increased according to the symptoms. It is considered that, by the therapy, a blocking antibody is produced, the production of the IgE antibody is controlled and the amount of histamine derived from a mast cell is lowered to give treatment effect. On the other hand, it appears that allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, childhood asthma, atopic dermatitis and the like are mainly caused by allergy to mites living in house dust. Several kinds of proteins of major mite allergens have been identified (Platts-Mills et al., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 80 , 755(1987)). The above desensitization therapy of the allergic diseases which uses the major allergens is very effective. However, it is impossible to prepare a large amount of purified allergens which are required in the therapy. The inventors of the present invention have found that the above problems are solved by preparing mRNA from Dermatophagoides farinae and making a cDNA gene library corresponding to the mRNA, and by isolating a clone expressing Derf II, one of the major allergens, by a colony-immunoassay and isolating DNA fragments containing the objective gene from the clone. Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide a DNA sequence coding the major allergen of mites in genetic engineering and to provide the objective allergen produced by expressing and preparing the major mite allergen encoded by the DNA. The present invention provides a DNA encoding at least one part of the genetic information of a protein which has the biochemical and immunological properties of a major allergen of Dermatophagoides farinae ( Derf II) wherein the DNA has the nucleotide sequence represented by formula I or II hereinafter. Other aspects of the invention are recited in claims 2 to 5. To obtain a gene which codes the major mite allergen Derf II, mites are artificially bred with feed or a feed composition for breeding animals such as experimental animals, domestic animals, pet animals and the like, and then the mite bodies can be isolated by a method, for example, a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 49-69820/1974. To obtain mRNA from the mite bodies, for example, a method disclosed by Chirgwin J. M. et al. is usable (Biochemistry 18 , 5294-5299(1979)). Moreover, a commercially available RNA extraction kit (manufactured by Amersham Company, trade name: RPN. 1264) is usable. In general eukaryotic mRNAs having a poly (A) tail at the 3' terminal can be easily purified by an affinity chromatography over oligo (dT) cellulose (Auffray C. et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 107 , 303-304(1980)). Further, a commercially available mRNA purification kit (manufactured by Pharmashia Company, trade name: mRNA purification kit 27-9258-01) can be used conveniently. The mRNA purified is used as a template for synthesizing the first strand of cDNA with reverse transcriptase and primer. Oligo (dT) or synthesized primer may be used. The second strand of cDNA can be synthesized by conventional methods (Huynh, T. V. et al., DNA cloning, Vol. 1, chapter 2, pp49-78(1985), edited by D. M. Glover). A commercially available kit for making cDNA (manufactured by Amersham Company, trade name: RPN. 1256Y) may be also used. The resulting double-stranded cDNA is inserted into a cloning site of a suitable vector, preferably, plasmid pUEX1 (Bressan G. and Stanley K., Nucl. Acids Res., 15 , 10056(1987)). Conventional methods are usable for the insertion of the double-stranded cDNA (Maniatis T. M. et al., Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, (1982)). The cDNA gene library derived from the mites can express a gene product by transformation of a suitable host, preferably Escherichia coli . Then, a colony which is producing the desired major mite allergen Derf II should be found from the transformed Escherichia coli . Although several other methods are usable, colony immunoassay is suitable for that purpose. For example, the following method can be used with pUEX1 as the plasmid. After the E. coli transformed was grown in an L broth agar culture (1% bactotrypton, 0.5% yeast extract, 0.5% sodium chloride, 1.5% bactoagar, 50 µg/ml ampicillin, pH 7.4), the resulting colonies were replicated on a nitrocellulose filter to grow them and recombinant protein was allowed to express on the filter. The cells were lysed by exposure to chloroform vapor and the protein expressed was fixed on the filter. The inserted DNA derived from the mites bound to the downsteam region of the DNA encoding β-galactosidase, and the corresponding protein was produced in the form of protein fused together with β-galactosidase. The desired Derf II protein was detected on the filter by using an anti Derf II antibody which was prepared from a rabbit, and two positive clones were obtained. The corresponding E. coli colonies were selected from the master agar plate preserved, and they were inoculated to an L broth culture (removing agar from the L broth agar culture). The colonies were cultured with shaking at 30°C for about 18 hours. The cells were collected from the culture, and plasmids were recovered by a conventional alkali extraction method. The plasmids obtained were digested or not digested. An agarose gel electrophoresis procedure is followed for analyzing DNAs derived from mites which were inserted into the plasmids. About 500 base pairs of DNAs were inserted into the two plasmids pFL1 and pFL11, respectively. On the other hand, E. coli cells were transformed by using the plasmids and vector pUEX1 into which the DNA derived from mites was not inserted, and they were inoculated into the above L broth culture. The cells were cultured with shaking at 30°C for about three hours and then at 42°C for about three hours. The resulting cells were collected and washed in a buffer solution (Tris-HCl buffer, 10 mM, pH 7) and fusion protein was extracted by a method of Marston and Carroll et al . (DNA cloning, IRL Press, Volume 3, Chapter 4(1985)). The proteins extracted were subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Then, the protein separated on the gel was transferred onto a cellulose filter by a Western blot technique (Towbin H. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U. S. A., 76 , 4350(1979)). The filter on which the proteins were transferred was blocked with bovine serum albumin, and it was reacted with anti- Derf II antibody which was prepared in a rabbit. Then, the filter was washed with a buffer solution (Tris-HCl buffer: 10 mM, pH 7.4, sodium chloride: 150 mM, Tween 20:0.05%), and it was reacted with anti-rabbit IgG antibody which was labelled with peroxidase (manufactured by Amersham Company). Again, the filter was washed in the same buffer solution and the peroxidase-labelled antibodies remaining without reaction was removed. Further, the filter was reacted with hydrogen peroxide and a dye of 4-chloro-1-naphthol. As a result, while the band of protein having a molecular weight of about 130 thousands contained in the supernatant which was obtained from the E. coli transformed with plasmids pFL1 and pFl11 show positive, no band of protein contained in the supernatant which was obtained from the E. coli transformed with the vector without the DNA of ticks show positive. Accordingly, it is apparent that DNA coding Derf II which is a major mite allergen is in the plasmids pFL1 and pFL11, and the gene expresses in E. coli as the fused protein together with β-galactosidase. The DNA segment derived from the mites which is inserted into said plasmids pFL1 and pFL11 can be cleaved with a suitable restriction enzyme, preferably by a complete cleavage with Bam HI or partial cleavage with Nco I. The sequences of the cleaved DNA segment can be determined by a dideoxy chain termination method (Sanger F. et al., J. Mol. Biol., 162 , 729-773(1982)) and the like. The determined DNA sequences encoding the major mite allergen are shown by Formula I and Formula II. In these Formula I and Formula II, amino acids corresponding to the sequences are shown. Further, the underlined parts in these formulas show the same sequences as those of amino acids shown in the following Table I. *** shows a termination codon. To confirm the sequences of Formula I and Formula II coding Derf II which is originally the major mite allergen, the Derf II protein was purified, the amino acid sequences were determined, and the sequences were compared with the amino acid sequences shown in Formula I and Formula II. The allergen protein Derf II can be purified by a combination of conventional methods (Biochemical experimental lecture, Vol. 1, "Chemistry of protein", edited by Tamio YAMAKAWA and Kazutomo IMABORI, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin), advantageously by a liquid chromatographic technique. The amino acid sequence of the allergen Derf II purified was determined with a peptide sequencer of Type 471A (manufactured by Applied Biosystem Company). The results are shown in Table I. From these results, it was confirmed that the DNA sequences determined by the above method coded Derf II which was the major mite allergen. Analysis No. Amino acid Analysis No. Amino acid Analysis No. Amino acid 1 Asp 16 Val 31 Arg 2 Gln 17 Met 32 Gly 3 Val 18 Val 33 Lys 4 Asp 19 Asp 34 Pro 5 Val 20 Gly 35 Phe 6 Lys 21 X 36 Thr 7 Asp 22 His 37 Leu 8 X 23 Gly 38 Glu 9 Ala 24 Ser 39 Ala 10 Asn 25 Asp 40 Leu 11 Asn 26 Pro 41 Phe 12 Glu 27 X 42 Asp 13 Ile 28 Ile 43 Ala 14 Lys 29 Ile 44 Asn 15 Lys 30 His 45 Gln The DNA segment and a part of the segment can be expressed in yeast with a suitable vector, for example, YEp13 (Broach J. R. et al., Gene, Vol. 8, 121-133(1979)), etc.. Suitable yeast cells can be transformed with a yeast vector having an expression casette carrying the mite Derf II gene according to the present invention. For the purpose, the DNA sequences according to the present invention should be placed under control not of an E. coli promotor but a strong eukaryotic promotor and the like, for example delta P8 (Otake et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., Vol. 52, 2753-2762(1988)). The mite Derf II protein prepared by the genetic engineering technique according to the present invention, the fragments of the protein, and the protein fused with the other protein and having biochemical and immunological properties of the major mite allergen Derf II can be used in medical treatment or diagnosis of all sorts of allergic diseases caused by mites. According to the present invention, a clone which expresses major allergen protein Derf II of Dermatophagoides farinae can be isolated by genetic engineering, and DNA fragments containing the desired gene can be isolated from the clone. As a result, a method of mass production of allergen protein can be provided by expressing and by obtaining the major mite allergen which is coded by DNA, and the protein can be used in medical treatment or diagnosis of all sorts of allergic diseases. The following examples illustrate the present invention in detail. Example 1 Construction of a cDNA gene library Mites were artificially bred for about 30 days in feed for breeding experimental animals under conditions of a temperature of 25°C and a humidity of 75%. The mites were separated from the feed with a saturated sodium chloride solution, and mites were filtered with suction (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 49-69820/ 1974). The mite bodies (wet weight, about 5g) obtained were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen, and then total RNA was extracted and purified with an RNA extraction kit (manufactured by Amersham Company, RPN. 1264). After purifying mRNA from the total RNA with an oligo (dT) column (manufactured by Pharmacia Company, trade name: mRNA purification kit 27-9258-01), about 3 µg of mRNA was obtained. The cDNA was synthesized from the total amount of the mRNA obtained with a cDNA synthesis system plus (manufactured by Amersham Company, trade name: RPN. 1256Y). The RNA extraction, the mRNA purification and the cDNA synthesis followed manuals annexed to the kits. pUEX1 reported by Bressan et al. (Nucl. Acids Res., Vol. 15, 10056(1987)) was used as an expression vector. By the insertion of a cDNA fragment into the downstream region of a β-galactosidase gene, the expression vector could express the desired gene as a fused protein with β-gal. The expressed amount was determined by a λ P R promoter in the upstream region and it was greatly increased by shifting the cultivation temperature to 42°C. The cloning steps follow a method of Haymerle et al. (Nucl. Acids Res., Vol. 14, 8615-8624(1986)) and cDNA cloning system pUEX1 (manufactured by Amerhsam Company, trade name: RPN. 1282) was used. E. coli MC1061 (gene type: araD139, Δ[ara, leu]7697, ΔlacX74, galU - , galK - , hsr - , hsm + , strA, mcrA - , mcrB - ) was used for the transformation. The preparation of competent cells follows a method of Hanahan (DNA cloning, A practical approach, edited by Glover D., IRL Press, Vol. 1, 109(1985)). Example 2 Detection of pFL1 and pFL11 The clones reacting with anti Derf II antibody derived from a rabbit were detected by a colony immunoassay method from the transformants. The transformants were spread on an L broth agar culture plate (1% tryptone manufactured by Difco Company, 0.5% yeast extract manufactured by Difco Company, 0.5% sodium chloride and 1.5% agar) containing 50 µg/ml of ampicillin and these strains were cultured at 30°C to obtain colonies having a diameter of 1 mm. Nitrocellulose filters (High bond C, manufactured by Amersham Company, trade name: RPN. 1782C) were carefully placed on the colonies to make a replica of the colonies. The remaining colonies on the plate were cultured again at 30°C. On the other hand, the replica of the colonies blotted onto the nitrocellulose filters was placed on the surface of a new L broth agar plate as the colonies were upside and the colonies were cultured at 42°C for two hours. Then the nitrocellulose filters were hung in a tank filled with chloroform and exposed to chloroform vapor for about 25 minutes. Each filter having the colonies at the underside was placed on a petri dish. The dish was immersed into 10 ml of TBS buffer (10 mM Tris hydrochloride buffer (pH 7.4) and 150 mM sodium chloride) containing 4 mg of lysozyme and 100 µg of deoxyribonuclease and it was shaken slowly to lyse the colonies for one hour at room temperature. Washing operation was repeated four times by shaking the dish for five minutes with 20 ml of TBS buffer. Then, the filters were immersed into TBS buffer containing 2% bovine serum albumin for one hour as a blocking operation in order to prevent the nonspecific adsorption. The filters were immersed and shaken for one hour in a solution containing the anti Derf II antibody derived from the rabbit as a primary antibody which was diluted 1000-3000 times with 10 ml of TBS buffer containing 0.2% bovine serum albumin. Then the primary antibody which was not adsorbed was washed away four times with 20 ml of TBST buffer (0.05%, TBS buffer containing Tween 20). The same procedure as the primary antibody was repeated with filters having a peroxidase-labelled anti rabbit IgG antibody (manufactured by Biorad Company) as a secondary antibody. After adsorbing and washing the antibody, the filters were immersed in TBS buffer in which 0.4 mg/ml of diaminobenzidine as a color-producing reagent was dissolved and hydrogen peroxide water was added in end concentration of 0.01% to obtain colored filters. The above operation was repeated with about 1600 transformed strains. Two strains of colonies giving a strong signal were found. The corresponding colonies were picked from the master plate and cultured at 30°C to provide plasmids to be analyzed. The techniques of plasmid extraction, breakage of restriction enzyme, gel electrophoresis and the like were based on a method of Maniatis et al. (Molecular cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Press (1982)). Two kinds of E. coli thus obtained had plasmids into which segments (about 500 base pairs) derived from cDNA were inserted. These were designated as pFL1 and pFL11. Example 3 Determination of DNA sequence for Derf II gene (pFL1 and pFL11) The techniques of restriction enzyme treatment of cDNA fragments of pFL1 and pFL11 and ligation thereof and transformation of E. coli host JM105 (gene type: thi, rpsL, endA, sbcB15, hsdR4, Δ(lac-proAB), [F', proAB, lacI 9 ΔDM15, traD36]) were carried out by conventional methods (Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Press, p. 104, 146 and 396 (1982); DNA Cloning, IRL Press, Vol. 1, Chapter 6 (1985)). Vectors (pUC118 and pUC119, Messing et al., Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 101, 20-78 (1978)) suitable for Sanger's sequence determination (Science, Vol. 214, 1205-1210 (1985) was used for the cloning. Thus isolated Bam HI-cDNA fragments as it was or digested with several restriction enzymes such as Nco I were inserted into vectors which were treated by the same method as described above. The E. coli competent cells were transformed. Each single-stranded DNA of the recombinant plasmids was isolated and purified, and the DNA sequence was determined by the Sanger method. The sequence was analysed by a computer program (DNASIS) manufactured by Hitachi software engineering company. Example 4 Determination of N-terminal amino acid sequence for Derf II protein Amino acid sequence of Derf II protein purified by reverse phase HPLC was determined. The sequence determination was carried out with a gas phase sequencer manufactured by Applied Biosystems company (Model 471A). Initial amount of 10 µg made it possible to determine the sequence from N-terminal to the 45 amino acid residue. The amino acid sequence obtained was coincident with expected sequence, namely the amino acid sequence estimated from the DNA sequence of cDNA as shown in the above Table I. Example 5 Extraction of fusion proteins and identification of antigenecity E. coli having pFL1, which were selected from two kinds of E. coli expressing Derf II as fusion proteins and having pFL1 and pFL11 respectively, were cultured in an L broth culture, and the fusion proteins were extracted to confirm their antigenecity. The cells obtained were inoculated in 5 ml of an L broth culture containing 50 µg/ml of ampicillin (L broth-Ap culture) and cultured with shaking at 30°C overnight. The cultures were inoculated in a 1% L-broth-Ap culture and cultured with shaking at 30°C. When the value of OD 660nm became 0.6, the same volume of an L-broth-Ap culture which was previously warmed to 54°C was added. Further they were cultured with shaking for two hours at 42°C. The cells cultured were recovered and extracted by a method of Marston, Carroll et al. (DNA Cloning, IRL Press. Vol. 3, Chapters 4 and 5 (1985)) to obtain fusion proteins. By the observation of a phase-contrast microscope (x 1000), it was confirmed that the fusion proteins were visualised in the cells in the form of inclusion bodies. The fusion proteins obtained were separated with a SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system (manufactured by Daiichi Kagaku company, vertical type, gel concentrations of 4-20%). One part of the cells separated was dyed with Coomassie Briliant Blue and the other part was transferred on a membrane (manufactured by Imobiron Milipore company) by a Western blot technique (Towbin H. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A., Vol. 69, 1409-1412(1972)), and then the expression of Derf II antigen proteins was confirmed with anti Derf II antibodies. Proteins showing positive reaction had a molecular weight of about 130 thousands and they were fused proteins with β-galactosidase.

Claims: A DNA encoding a major mite allergen, the DNA encoding at least one part of the genetic information of a protein which has the biochemical and immunological properties of the major allergen ( Derf II) of Dermatophagoides farinae , wherein the DNA has a nucleotide sequence represented by the following formula I or formula II. A replication or expression vector having at least one selectable marker and at least one restriction-enzyme recognition site which does not lie within the origin of replication region or within the control or coding regions of the marker gene, the vector containing a DNA sequence of claim 1. A plasmid comprising a DNA sequence described in claim 1 and an expression cassette having the DNA sequence, whereby a procaryotic or eukaryotic host can be transformed in a stable form and genetic information of Derf II can be exactly transcribed and/or translated, the information being contained and replicable in a host cell. A host cell containing DNA as claimed in claim 1. A host cell as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cell is yeast cell.

Inventors: OKUMURA YASUSHI, YAMAKAWA HIROSHI, YUUKI TOSHIFUMI, OKUMURA, YASUSHI, YAMAKAWA, HIROSHI, YUUKI, TOSHIFUMI, OKUMURA, YASUSHI, ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD., YUUKI, TOSHIFUMI, ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD.
Applicants: ASAHI BREWERIES LTD, TORII & CO LTD, ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD., TORII & CO., LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: C12N15
IPC codes: A61K38, C07K14, C12N15, C12P21, C07K19, C12N1, C12R1, A61P37