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Genomic characterization and linkage mapping of the apple allergen genes Mal d 2 (thaumatin-like protein) and Mal d 4 (profilin)

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Abstract

Four classes of apple allergens (Mal d 1, −2, −3 and −4) have been reported. By using PCR cloning and sequencing approaches, we obtained genomic sequences of Mal d 2 (thaumatin-like protein) and Mal d 4 (profilin) from the cvs Prima and Fiesta, the two parents of a European reference mapping population. Two copies of the Mal d 2 gene (Mal d 2.01A and Mal d 2.01B) were identified, which primarily differed in the length of a single intron (378 or 380 nt) and in one amino acid in the signal peptide. Both Mal d 2.01A and Mal d 2.01B were mapped at identical position on linkage group 9. Genomic characterization of four Mal d 4 genes (Mal d 4.01A and B, Mal d 4.02A and Mal d 4.03A) revealed their complete gDNA sequences which varied among genes in length from 862 to 2017 nt. They all contained three exons of conserved length: 123, 138, and 135 nt. Mal d 4.01 appeared to be duplicated in two copies and located on linkage group 9. Mal d 4.02A and Mal d 4.03A were single copy genes located on linkage group 2 and 8, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

This research was performed with financial support from the Commission of the European Communities for the projects SAFE QLK1-CT-2000-01394 and exploited unpublished results from FAIR5 CT97-3898 (DARE: Durable Apple Resistance in Europe). We acknowledge Dr. Bernard Koller and Professor Cesare Gessler for part of SSR data on the linkage maps of Prima×Fiesta and Fiesta × Discovery. We thank professors Evert Jacobsen and Richard Visser for critical reading of this manuscript, Dr. Yan Ma for checking the profilin sequences. Z. S. Gao is grateful to the International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, and the ICSC-World Laboratory, Lausanne for providing fellowships to conduct this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Allergy Consortium Wageningen, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 16, 6700, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Z. S. Gao, W. E. van de Weg & L. J. W. J. Gilissen

  2. Experimental Nursery of Shanxi Forestry Department, Beiying Nan Lu 52, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030031, People’s Republic of China

    Z. S. Gao

  3. Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 16, 6700, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Z. S. Gao, W. E. van de Weg, J. G. Schaart, G. van Arkel & L. J. W. J. Gilissen

  4. Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Vienna, AKH-EBO-3Q, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    H. Breiteneder & K. Hoffmann-Sommergruber

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  1. Z. S. Gao
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  2. W. E. van de Weg
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  3. J. G. Schaart
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  4. G. van Arkel
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  5. H. Breiteneder
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  6. K. Hoffmann-Sommergruber
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  7. L. J. W. J. Gilissen
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Correspondence to W. E. van de Weg.

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Communicated by H. Nybom

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Gao, Z.S., Weg, W.E.v.d., Schaart, J.G. et al. Genomic characterization and linkage mapping of the apple allergen genes Mal d 2 (thaumatin-like protein) and Mal d 4 (profilin). Theor Appl Genet 111, 1087–1097 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-005-0034-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-005-0034-z

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