title: Tus-Ter-lock immuno-PCR assays for the sensitive detection of tropomyosin-specific IgE antibodies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The increasing prevalence of food allergies requires development of specific and sensitive tests capable of identifying the allergen responsible for the disease. The development of serologic tests that can detect specific IgE antibodies to allergenic proteins would, therefore, be highly received.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we present two new quantitative immuno-PCR assays for the sensitive detection of antibodies specific to the shrimp allergen tropomyosin. Both assays are based on the self-assembling Tus-Ter-lock protein-DNA conjugation system. Significantly elevated levels of tropomyosin-specific IgE were detected in sera from patients allergic to shrimp.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time an allergenic protein has been fused with Tus to enable specific IgE antibody detection in human sera by quantitative immuno-PCR.
authors.affiliation: Supramolecular & Synthetic Biology Group, School of Pharmacy & Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Douglas, QLD 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Elecia B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Sandip D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: Andreas L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lopata
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006388:Hemagglutinins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014335:Tropomyosin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D004247:DNA