Gliadin Alpha Wheat
Description
Purified by proprietary chromatographic technique.
Product Specs
LQPFPQPQLPYPQPQLPYPQPQLPYPQPQPFRPQQPYPQSQPQYSQPQQPISQQQQQQQQ
QQQQKQQQQQQQQILQQILQQQLIPCRDVVLQQHSIAYGSSQVLQQSTYQLVQQLCCQQL
WQIPEQSRCQAIHNVVHAIILHQQQQQQQQQQQQPLSQVSFQQPQQQYPSGQGSFQPSQ
QNPQAQGSVQPQQLPQFEEIRNLALETLPAMCNVYIPPYCTIAPVGIFGTNYRHHHHHH.
Product Science Overview
Alpha gliadins are a group of more than 20 proteins with very similar sequences that comprise about 15%–20% of the total flour protein . These proteins contribute significantly to the functional properties of wheat flour dough, such as its elasticity and viscosity . However, some alpha gliadins contain immunodominant epitopes that can trigger celiac disease, a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 1% of the global population .
Recombinant DNA technology has been employed to produce alpha gliadins in a controlled environment. This involves inserting the gene encoding alpha gliadin into a host organism, such as Escherichia coli or yeast, to produce the protein in large quantities. The recombinant alpha gliadins can then be purified and used for various research and industrial applications.
One of the significant advancements in the field has been the attempt to reduce the immunogenic potential of wheat flour by silencing specific alpha gliadin genes. For instance, researchers used RNA interference to silence a subset of alpha gliadin genes in the U.S. spring wheat cultivar Butte 86 . This approach aimed to reduce the presence of celiac disease epitopes in the wheat flour. The resulting transgenic lines showed a significant reduction in the reactivity of IgG and IgA antibodies from celiac disease patients .
Molecular characterization of alpha gliadins involves analyzing their amino acid sequences and identifying variations in immunodominant epitopes. For example, studies on Ethiopian durum wheat cultivars have shown that the deduced amino acid sequences of alpha gliadins share all the known primary features and core sequences of celiac disease epitopes . These variations can result in differences in peptide cleavage patterns by proteases in the human digestive system, affecting the immunogenicity of the proteins .
Recombinant alpha gliadins have several applications, including:
- Research: Studying the structure and function of gliadins and their role in celiac disease.
- Food Industry: Developing hypoallergenic wheat varieties and gluten-free products.
- Medical: Creating diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches for celiac disease.
Future research aims to further understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the immunogenicity of alpha gliadins and to develop wheat varieties with reduced celiac disease epitopes. This could lead to the production of safer wheat products for individuals with celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders.
