Molecular Characterization of the IgE-binding Epitopes in the Fast ω-gliadins of Triticeae in Relation to Wheat-dependent, Exercise-induced Anaphylaxis

Fast ω-gliadins were minor components of wheat storage proteins but a major antigen triggering allergy to wheat. Sixty-six novel full-length fast ω-gliadin genes with unique characteristics were cloned and sequenced from wheat and its relative species using a PCR-based strategy. Their coding regions ranged from 177bp to 987bp in length and encoded 4.28kDa to 37.56kDa proteins. On the base of first three deduced amino acids at the N-terminal, these genes could be classified into the six subclasses of SRL-, TRQ-, GRL-, NRL-, SRP- and SRM-type ω-gliadin genes. Compared by multiple alignments, these genes were significantly different from each other, due to the insertion or deletion at the repetitive domain. An analysis of the IgE-binding epitopes of the 66 deduced fast ω-gliadins demonstrated that they contained 0-24 IgE-binding epitopes. The phylogenetic tree demonstrated that the fast ω-gliadins and slow ω-gliadins were separated into two groups and their divergence time was 21.64millionyears ago. Sequence data of the fast ω-gliadin genes assist in the study of the origins and evolutions of the different types of ω-gliadins while also providing a basis for the synthesis of monoclonal antibodies to detect wheat antigen content.