Pollen Biotechnology, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1996 Gene Expression and Allergen Characterization

The last decade has seen tremendous progress in our knowledge of the pollen development and gene expression on one hand and the characterization of pollen specific proteins on the other. In compiling the chapters for this volume, we have pragmatically categorized these basic developments in pollen molecular biology and biotechnology into two sections based on their applications in agricul­ ture and implications in medicine. Pollen developmental biology and gene expression: applications in agricul­ ture. Pollen development is an extremely complex process encompassing a series of biochemical, physiological and genetic events. At the basic level, sporophyt­ ically expressed genes may expound our knowledge of unique processes of cellular differentiation which ultimately give rise to a full-fledged organism. At the applied level, the studies on the pollen and male sporophyte-specific gene expression, and of promoters and transcription factors of relevant genes have the potential to manipulate the fertility in certain cash crops leading to agricultural biotechnology.

Part I: Gene expression: Molecular biology of male gamete development in plants: an overview-- J.D. Astwood and R.D. Hill; Anther-specific gene expression in Brassica and Arabidopsis-- H. Xu, R.B. Knox, and M.B. Singh; Anther- and pollen-specific gene expression in sunflower-- Andre Steinmetz, Rachel Baltz, Claire Domon and Jean-Luc Evrard; Gene expression in developing maize pollen-- D.A. Hamilton; In vitro pollen cultures: progress and perspectives-- E. Heberle-Bors, E. Stoger, A. Touraev, V. Zarsky, and O. Vicente; Part II: Allergen characterization: Molecular characterization of allergens of Kentuckey blue grass pollen -- E. Olson and S.S. Mohapatra; Molecular characterization of group 1 allergens of grass pollen--P.M. Smith, R.B. Knox, and M.B. Singh; Structure-function relationships of allergens-- L. Zhang and S.S. Mohapatra; Human T cell responses to grass pollen allergens-- S. Romagnani and S. Mohapatra; Molecular characterization and environmental monitoring of grass pollen allergens -- E.K. Ong, R.B. Knox, and M.B. Singh; Immunological characterization of the major ragweed allergens Amb a 1 and Amb a 2 -- B.L. Rogers, J.F. Bond, J.P. Morgenstern, C.M. Counsell, and I.J. Griffith; The Amb V allergens from ragweed-- T. Rafner, W.J. Metzler, and D.G. Marsh; Characterization of a dominant epitope of the major allergens of parietaria-- A. Ruffilli, A. Scotto d'Abusco, and C. De Santo; Profilin: a novel pan-allergen and actin-binding protein in plants-- R. Valenta, I. Swoboda, M. Grote, S. Vrtala, F. Ferreira, M. Duchene, E. Herbele-Bors, D. Kraft, and O. Scheiner

This book reflects the tremendous progress made over the last decade in the study of pollen biotechnology. It provides up-to-date examination of the molecular aspects of pollen genes and proteins from both agricultural and biomedical perspectives. The first section discusses the complex biochemical, physiological, and genetics events involved in the process of pollen development and includes chapters on the male gametophyte development in plants, anther- and pollen-specific gene expressions in model plant systems, and the recent advances in studies in vitro relating to pollen cultures. The second half reviews and discusses specific advances in a number of important pollen allergens and their cloning, structure-function relationships, and the therapeutic implications of these studies. Combi