Identification and characterisation of gluten-free oat lines
- Reference number
- SM20-0024
- Start and end dates
- 210101-221231
- Amount granted
- 963 751 SEK
- Administrative organization
- Lund University
- Research area
- Life Science Technology
Summary
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to gastrointestinal inflammation and malabsorption. The only single proven and available treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet, which is often challenging. Oats are very nutritious cereals with unique health properties. However, it is still controversial whether oat can be included in a gluten-free diet. The aim of this project is to screen oat lines in a mutated oat population for avenins. Avenins are prolamin proteins in oat which belong to the group of gluten. At the biotech company CropTailor AB, a population of ca 2600 different oat lines is available for screening. Results for gluten allergen quantification can vary depending on the method and the technical differences. In this project, several methods and laboratory techniques including ELISA, immunoblotting and electrochemical immunosensors will be used to screen oat lines for immunogenicity. The addition of certified gluten-free oats will significantly increase the variation and nutritional value of a gluten-free diet, and even improve the quality of life of patients with CD. Dr. Lieselotte Cloetens has an educational background in gastroenterology and is group leader of Biomedical Nutrition at Lund University. The collaboration between Lund university and CropTailor AB will be an important factor for dissemination of knowledge and technology, and the high-standard result will significantly increase the competitiveness of both organisations.
Popular science description
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to inflammation of the digestive system and impaired absorption of nutrients. The only single proven and available treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet, which is often challenging. Oats are very nutritious cereals with unique health properties. However, it is still controversial whether oat can be included in a gluten-free diet. The aim of this project is to identify and characterize oat lines in a genetically modified oat population for avenins. Avenins are specific proteins in oat which belong to the group of gluten. At the biotech company CropTailor AB, a population of ca 2600 different oat lines is available for screening. Results for gluten allergen quantification can vary depending on the method and the technical differences. In this project, several immunological methods and laboratory techniques (e.g. ELISA, immunoblotting and electrochemical immunosensors) will be applied to screen oat lines. The addition of certified gluten-free oats will significantly increase the variation and nutritional value of a gluten-free diet, and even improve the quality of life of patients with celiac disease. Dr. Lieselotte Cloetens has an educational background in gastroenterology and is group leader of Biomedical Nutrition at Lund University. The collaboration between Lund university and CropTailor AB will be an important factor for dissemination of knowledge and technology, and the high-standard result will significantly increase the competitiveness of both organisations.