Dataset Information

Molecular and immunological characterization of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) pollen after exposure of the plants to elevated ozone over a whole growing season.

ABSTRACT: Climate change and air pollution, including ozone is known to affect plants and might also influence the ragweed pollen, known to carry strong allergens. We compared the transcriptome of ragweed pollen produced under ambient and elevated ozone by 454-sequencing. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out for the major ragweed allergen Amb a 1. Pollen surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and phenolics were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Elevated ozone had no influence on the pollen size, shape, surface structure or amount of phenolics. ATR-FTIR indicated increased pectin-like material in the exine. Transcriptomic analyses showed changes in expressed-sequence tags (ESTs), including allergens. However, ELISA indicated no significantly increased amounts of Amb a 1 under elevated ozone concentrations. The data highlight a direct influence of ozone on the exine components and transcript level of allergens. As the total protein amount of Amb a 1 was not altered, a direct correlation to an increased risk to human health could not be derived. Additional, the 454-sequencing contributes to the identification of stress-related transcripts in mature pollen that could be grouped into distinct gene ontology terms.

SUBMITTER: Kanter U

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3630196 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Molecular and immunological characterization of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) pollen after exposure of the plants to elevated ozone over a whole growing season.

Kanter Ulrike U Heller Werner W Durner Jörg J Winkler J Barbro JB Engel Marion M Behrendt Heidrun H Holzinger Andreas A Braun Paula P Hauser Michael M Ferreira Fatima F Mayer Klaus K Pfeifer Matthias M Ernst Dieter D

PloS one 20130418 4

Climate change and air pollution, including ozone is known to affect plants and might also influence the ragweed pollen, known to carry strong allergens. We compared the transcriptome of ragweed pollen produced under ambient and elevated ozone by 454-sequencing. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out for the major ragweed allergen Amb a 1. Pollen surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (AT ...[more]

PMID: 23637846

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Project description:BackgroundRagweed is an invasive, highly allergenic weed predicted to expand its habitat with warming global temperatures. Several Ambrosia species have been identified in South Africa for well over a century; however, its presence remained undetected by allergists and aerobiologists until the development of an extensive aerospora monitoring system across South African urban areas since 2019. This paper presents the inventory of preliminary investigation of the Ambrosia airborne pollen and the taxonomic identification of ragweed species.MethodsBurkard volumetric spore traps for collecting pollen samples are set up in 9 South African cities (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Kimberley, Durban, Potchefstroom, Ermelo, Bloemfontein, and Gqeberha). Light microscopic identification was combined with environmental DNA metabarcoding analysis to confirm the species level of airborne Ambrosia at selected monitoring stations. Ragweed sensitisation was examined in Cape Town between February 2019 and February 2024, using Allergy Xplorer (ALEX2) multicomponent allergen array.ResultsAmbrosia pollen was detected in 5 aerobiological monitoring stations over the sampling period (Durban, Kimberley, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Johannesburg). Periods of 4 consistent pollination years were observed in Kimberley (min: 1; max: 16 p.g/m3) and Durban (min: 26; max: 66 p.g/m3). In Pretoria, ragweed pollen was detected for 2 years (2020-2021; 2022-2023) with average total annuals (5-17 p.g/m3). A peak flowering period between March and April was observed in Potchefstroom, and several ragweed pollen peaks were present between the end of December and the beginning of May in Durban. The highest number of Ambrosia pollen grains was recorded in Potchefstroom, with 308 grains, and a maximum peak of 47 p.g/m3. eDNA metabarcoding confirmed the presence of Ambrosia artemisiifolia and A.trifida species. The overall prevalence of Ambrosia-sensitisation amongst 673 tests (age range 7-72 years) was 8.2% (55/673), with no significant difference in sensitisation patterns between age groups.ConclusionOur study confirms the need to monitor the spread of ragweed, and an increasing awareness of Ambrosia as an allergen of concern in Southern Africa. Extension of aerobiological networks and testing for Ambrosia sensitisation across urban and rural sites will be required.

Dataset Information

Molecular and immunological characterization of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) pollen after exposure of the plants to elevated ozone over a whole growing season.

Publications

Molecular and immunological characterization of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) pollen after exposure of the plants to elevated ozone over a whole growing season.

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