Structural genes of wheat and barley 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases and their potential applications for human health.

ABSTRACT: Wheat supplies about 20% of the total food calories consumed worldwide and is a national staple in many countries. Besides being a key source of plant proteins, it is also a major cause of many diet-induced health issues, especially celiac disease. The only effective treatment for this disease is a total gluten-free diet. The present report describes an effort to develop a natural dietary therapy for this disorder by transcriptional suppression of wheat DEMETER (DME) homeologs using RNA interference. DME encodes a 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylase responsible for transcriptional derepression of gliadins and low-molecular-weight glutenins (LMWgs) by active demethylation of their promoters in the wheat endosperm. Previous research has demonstrated these proteins to be the major source of immu

SUBMITTER: Wen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3528507 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature