DOMAIN 1: CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS EVALUATION THROUGH PREDICTION STRATEGIESWith evidence of biological responses to the global warming, a considerable concern has turned to predict the fate of biodiversity of plants. Presuming temperature increase is associated with the long pollen seasons, and long exposure to allergens caused by plants. This pattern of change in exposure is predicted to vary regionally across the globe depending upon the latitude, altitude, precipitation. Early blooming in spring could get worse for allergy sufferers. It could expand the range and habitat of the allergic plants. Not only pollen allergens but further, there is a chance of increased fungal allergens. The different possible effects of climate change (temperature, precipitation etc.) that can operate whether at individual or population level of plant health can respond to these challenges by changing their physiology, range, and phenology. Hence, a comprehensive research is needed to monitor the climate change drivers and plant community’s interactions to evaluate their responses by adopting principal specificities of approaches that can be used to reduce the long-term effects.
DOMAIN 2: MICROBIOME AND ALLERGENICITYVarious bacteria colonize allergenic pollens. The objective of database is to develop protocols for screening, identifying, and analysing the pollen associated bacterial relation with plants and human beings. On humans these bacteria cause various diseases including infections, diseases, and allergies. Some bacteria cause allergies like asthma, respiratory issues, COPD, nasal itching, itching etc. Many allergenic proteins and non-allergenic adjuvant compounds of pollen are involved in the plant defence against environmental or microbial stress. The rationale is to analyse and compare the colonizing microbes on allergenic pollen and investigate detectable correlations between pollen microbiota and parameters of air pollution or pollen allergenicity. To reach these aims, bacterial and fungal DNA would be isolated from pollen samples of different plants. With this isolated DNA, microbial diversity correlated to allergenicity parameters (such as plant main allergens like Betv 1/Phl p 5, pollen-associated lipid mediators) would be determined. Furthermore, the correlation with on-site air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ammonia (NH3), and ozone (O3) Our data base will provide the information of • Allergenic pollens and associated microbiota • Microbial composition of pollen • Correlation to environmental exposure parameters • Differential expression of allergen and pollen-associated lipid mediators
DOMAIN 3: Pollens and AllergenicityPollens disperse in air during plant’s blooming season. Blooming season vary for different plants and within single plant species. Majority of plants pollinate in spring and summer seasons. Spring and summer flowering season starts earlier in southern parts of Pakistan followed later on in northern parts of Pakistan. Plants species produce large number of pollens. However, some plant species produce extremely huge quantity of pollens. Pollens are small and enter nasal cavity during breathing process. Some plants species pollens cause sneezing after breathing due to allergic reactions caused by pollen exposure. Such allergic reactions are termed as pollen allergy. Allergenic pollen include Broussonetia papyrifera (Paper mulberry) Parthenium hysterophorus (Parthenium), Phleum pratense (Timothy grass), Pinus (pine) Cannabis sativa (hemp). These pollens contain allergenic protein mostly in the external pollen wall (exine). These proteins are highly water-soluble which activate allergic responses upon contact with nasal epithelial cells. Allergenic pollen in air affect major part of population through pollen allergies during spring and summer season. Our database identifies pollen allergenicity and identifies pollen specific allergens through dot blot and western blot techniques. Furthermore, the database gives information about climate variables impact on allergen expression in specific plant pollens.
Address Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad. Contacts Email: zahidali@comsats.edu.pk Phone: +92 (0) 51 9049 6130 UAN: +92-51-111-001-007
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