Molecular cloning of the second major allergen, Cry j II, from Japanese cedar pollen

Cloning of a cDNA from Cry j II, the second major allergen from Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica) pollen, is described. An isolated Cry j II cDNA contained an open reading frame coding for 514 amino acid residues. The mature Cry j II protein consisted of 388 amino acid residues (R 46—S 433). According to a homology analysis, no amino acid sequence homology was observed between Cry j II and Cry j I, another major allergen. But Cry j II showed homology with polygalacturonase (PG) derived from tomato (40% identity) at the amino acid level. The sequence information can potentially be used to devise an effective course of immunotherapy for Japanese cedar pollinosis.