Bioinformatic methods for allergenicity assessment using a comprehensive allergen database

被引:137
作者
Hileman, RE
Silvanovich, A
Goodman, RE
Rice, EA
Holleschak, G
Astwood, JD
Hefle, SL
机构
[1] Univ Nebraska, Food Allergy Res & Resource Program, Lincoln, NE 68583 USA
[2] Monsanto Co, Prod Safety Ctr, St Louis, MO USA
关键词
allergen; allergy; Bacillus thuringiensis; bioinformatics; biotechnology; database; food allergy; IgE epitope; genetically modified crops;
D O I
10.1159/000063861
中图分类号
R392 [医学免疫学];
学科分类号
100102 ;
摘要
Background: A principal aim of the safety assessment of genetically modified crops is to prevent the introduction of known or clinically cross-reactive allergens. Current bioinformatic tools and a database of allergens and gliadins were tested for the ability to identify potential allergens by analyzing 6 Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins, 3 common non-allergenic food proteins and 50 randomly selected corn (Zea mays) proteins. Methods: Protein sequences were compared to allergens using the FASTA algorithm and by searching for matches of 6, 7 or 8 contiguous identical amino acids. Results: No significant sequence similarities or matches of 8 contiguous amino acids were found with the B. thuringiensis or food proteins. Surprisingly, 41 of 50 corn proteins matched at least one allergen with 6 contiguous identical amino acids. Only 7 of 50 corn proteins matched an allergen with 8 contiguous identical amino acids. When assessed for overall structural similarity to allergens, these 7 plus 2 additional corn proteins shared greater than or equal to35% identity in an overlap of greater than or equal to80 amino acids, but only 6 of the 7 were similar across the length of the protein, or shared >50% identity to an allergen. Conclusions: An evaluation of a protein by the FASTA algorithm is the most predictive of a clinically relevant cross-reactive allergen. An additional search for matches of 8 amino acids may provide an added margin of safety when assessing the potential allergenicity of a protein, but a search with a 6-amino-acid window produces many random, irrelevant matches. Copyright (C) 2002 S Karger AG, Basel.
引用
收藏
页码:280 / 291
页数:12
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