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Title: ANALYSIS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAJOR SOYBEAN SEED ALLERGENS IN A CORE COLLECTION OF GLYCINE MAX ACCESSIONS

Author
item Yaklich, Robert
item HELM, R.
item Herman, Eliot

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The use of soybean protein in processed food products has increased the number of potential people exposed to allergens from soybean. P34 is the major human allergen in soybean seeds and is also present in processed food products. In order to determine the feasibility of removing P34 in soybeans by conventional breeding practices, we assayed a core collection of soybeans which represented 95% of the genes in the public cultivars available to breeders in North America. This protein was found in all germplasm assayed and is the major allergen in soybean. Other members of the Glycine species also contained P34. These results indicate that it may not be possible to eliminate P34 from the food supply by conventional breeding. This knowledge is valuable for soybean breeders and processors.

Technical Abstract: P34 is an outlying member of the papain-superfamily of cysteine proteases that is expressed in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seeds. P34 is the major allergen of soybean seeds in humans and is present in processed food products that contains soybean protein. We surveyed a core collection of soybean accessions using a monoclonal antibody against P34 and with human sera from soybean sensitive individuals. We found that the accessions of soybean surveyed contain similar levels of P34. We also surveyed wild relatives of soybean and found that P34 was present. These results indicate that it may not be possible to eliminate P34 from the food supply by breeding with an improved germplasm base.