Analysis of total proteins in pollen of Humulus scandens Lour in Wuhan Region of China by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Abstract

Total proteins in the pollen of Humulus scandens Lour, one of the most popular aeroallergens in China, were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis in the current study. The proteins were extracted by Trichloracetic acid (TCA) method, and then separated by isoelectric focusing as the first dimension and SDS-PAGE as the second dimension. The spots of proteins were visualized by staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue. After analysis with software (ImageMaster 2D), 122 different proteins were detected; isoelectric point (pI), Molecular weight (MW) and relative volume of each protein in the pollen were also discovered. This is the first high-resolution, two-dimensional protein map of the pollen of Humulus scandens Lour in China. Our finding has built a solid foundation for identification, characterization, gene cloning and standardization of allergenic proteins in the pollen of Humulus scandens Lour for further studies.