Lentil allergens identification and quantification: An update from omics perspective

Oumma Halima; Fares Z Najar; Asfia Wahab; Sanjeewa Gamagedara; Akibul Islam Chowdhury; Steven B Foster; Nazma Shaheen; Nagib Ahsan

doi:10.1016/j.fochms.2022.100109

Lentil allergens identification and quantification: An update from omics perspective

Food Chem (Oxf). 2022 Apr 12:4:100109. doi: 10.1016/j.fochms.2022.100109. eCollection 2022 Jul 30.

Authors

Oumma Halima¹, Fares Z Najar², Asfia Wahab³, Sanjeewa Gamagedara⁴, Akibul Islam Chowdhury⁵, Steven B Foster^{6

7}, Nazma Shaheen¹, Nagib Ahsan^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
² High-Performance Computing Center (HPCC), Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
³ Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, USA.
⁵ Department of Food Technology and Nutrition Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh.
⁶ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
⁷ Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.

Abstract

Among legumes, the lentil (Lens culinaris) is a major dietary component in many Mediterranean and Asian countries due to its high nutritional value, especially protein. However, allergic reactions triggered by lentil consumption have also been documented in many countries. Complete allergens profiling is critical for better management of lentil food allergies. Earlier studies suggested Len c 1, a 47 kDa vicilin, Len c 2, a seed-specific-biotinylated 66-kDa protein, and Len c 3, low molecular weight lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) were major allergenic proteins in lentils. Recently, mass-spectrometry-based proteomic platforms successfully identified proteins from lentil samples homologous to known plant allergens. Furthermore, in silico analysis using 337 protein sequences revealed lentil allergens that have not previously been identified as potential allergens in lentil. Herein, we discuss the feasibility of omics platforms utilized for lentil allergens profiling and quantification. In addition, we propose some future strategies that might be beneficial for profiling and development of precise assays for lentil allergens and could facilitate identification of the low allergen-containing lentil cultivars.

Keywords: In silico; Legume; Mass spectrometry; Seed proteome.

Publication types

Review