Comparative genomics of fungal allergens and epitopes shows widespread distribution of closely related allergen and epitope orthologues
2006
Comparative Genomics of Fungal Allergens
Sample size: 22
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Paul Bowyer, Marcin Fraczek, David W. Denning
Primary Institution: University of Manchester
Hypothesis
Do allergen orthologues exist across the fungal kingdom?
Conclusion
Most fungi may possess proteins that have the potential to be allergens or to cross-react with allergens.
Supporting Evidence
- A database of 82 allergen sequences was compiled and used to search 22 fungal genomes.
- Some allergen orthologue classes were found to be ubiquitous in all fungi.
- Important allergens like Asp f 1 are limited to specific genera or species.
Takeaway
This study found that many types of fungi might have proteins that can cause allergies, even if we don't know about them yet.
Methodology
The study used comparative genomics to survey allergen orthologues in 22 fungal genomes.
Limitations
The study is limited to known allergens and may not account for undiscovered allergens.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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