Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Early Access

Transcript expression levels of apple allergens in Granny Smith and Golden Delicious fruits across European retail stores

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11766
Submitted
12 September 2025
Published
27-04-2026

Abstract

The complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors shapes the allergenic potential of apples. All 4 described allergens of apples vary in their protein content, but the variability at the transcriptomic level is not well known. In this study, the natural variability of the transcriptomic levels of apple genes for allergen isoforms was analysed for fruits from retail chains in various European countries. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was utilised to quantify the expression of PR-10 (Bet v 1 family), thaumatin-like proteins, nsLTP1 and profilins. The expression levels exhibited variability among apples originating from different countries, to varying degrees. Only minor variation was observed in Golden Delicious, with a change of 0.11-fold to 6.82-fold relative to the calibrator that was the fruit from the  Slovak Republic. Among the Mal d 1 isoforms, Mal d 1.02 showed the highest fold change and the greatest variability. However, in Granny Smith, the Mal d 4.01 exhibited substantial up-regulation, reaching approximately 280-fold. Furthermore, the fold changes demonstrated greater variability compared to those observed in Golden Delicious. Insights into the molecular variability and regulation of Mal d 1 isoforms can inform both public health guidance and precision agriculture strategies. As food allergies continue to rise globally, region-specific allergen profiling and cultivar selection may contribute to safer, more transparent and more inclusive food systems.

 

References

  1. 1. Siekierzynska A, Piasecka-Kwiatkowska D, Myszka A, Burzynska M, Sozanska B, Sozanski T. Apple allergy: causes and factors influencing fruits allergenic properties-review. Clin Transl Allergy. 2021;11(4):e12032. https://doi.org/10.1002/clt2.12032
  2. 2. Poncet P, Sénéchal H, Charpin D. Update on pollen-food allergy syndrome. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2020;16(6):561–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/1744666X.2020.1774366
  3. 3. Allergen Nomenclature; 2025. https://www.allergen.org/index.php
  4. 4. Savazzini F, Ricci G, Tartarini S. Apple allergens genomics and biotechnology: unravelling the determinants of apple allergenicity. In: Poltronieri P, Hong Y, editors. Applied plant genomics and biotechnology. Oxford: Woodhead Publishing; 2015. p.35–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100068-7.00003-3
  5. 5. Marzban G, Puehringer H, Dey R, Brynda S, Ma Y, Martinelli A, et al. Localisation and distribution of the major allergens in apple fruits. Plant Sci. 2005;169(2):387–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2005.03.027
  6. 6. Groth S, Budke C, Weber T, Oest M, Brockmann S, Holz M, et al. Selenium biofortification of different varieties of apples (Malus domestica)-influence on protein content and the allergenic proteins Mal d 1 and Mal d 3. Food Chem. 2021;362:130134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130134
  7. 7. Matthes A, Schmitz-Eiberger M. Apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh.) allergen Mal d 1: effect of cultivar, cultivation system and storage conditions. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(22):10548–53. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf901938q
  8. 8. Kaeswurm JAH, Neuwald DA, Straub LV, Buchweitz M. Impact of cultivation and storage conditions on total Mal d 1 content and isoallergen profile in apples. J Agric Food Chem. 2023;71(35):12975–85. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02375
  9. 9. Botton A, Lezzer P, Dorigoni A, Barcaccia G, Ruperti B, Ramina A. Genetic and environmental factors affecting allergen-related gene expression in apple fruit (Malus domestica L. Borkh). J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(15):6707–16. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf800813d
  10. 10. Unterhauser J, Ahammer L, Rainer T, Eidelpes R, Führer S, Nothegger B, et al. Covalent polyphenol modification of a reactive cysteine in the major apple allergen Mal d 1. Food Chem. 2023;410:135374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135374
  11. 11. Kaeswurm JAH, Straub LV, Klußmann A, Brockmeyer J, Buchweitz M. New mass spectrometric approach to quantify the major isoallergens of the apple allergen Mal d 1. J Agric Food Chem. 2022;70(37):11813–22. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c03745
  12. 12. Pagliarani G, Paris R, Arens P, Tartarini S, Ricci G, Smulders MJ, et al. A qRT-PCR assay for the expression of all Mal d 1 isoallergen genes. BMC Plant Biol. 2013;13(1):51. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-13-51
  13. 13. Paris R, Pagliarani G, Savazzini F, Aloisi I, Iorio RA, Tartarini S, et al. Comparative analysis of allergen genes and pro-inflammatory factors in pollen and fruit of apple varieties. Plant Sci. 2017;264:57–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2017.08.006
  14. 14. Pfaffl MW. A new mathematical model for relative quantification in real-time RT-PCR. Nucleic Acids Res. 2001;29(9):e45. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/29.9.e45
  15. 15. Asero R, Marzban G, Martinelli A, Zaccarini M, Machado MLC. Search for low-allergenic apple cultivars for birch-pollen-allergic patients: is there a correlation between in vitro assays and patient response? Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006;38(3):94–8.
  16. 16. Kschonsek J, Wiegand C, Hipler UC, Böhm V. Influence of polyphenolic content on the in vitro allergenicity of old and new apple cultivars: a pilot study. Nutrition. 2019;58:30–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2018.07.001
  17. 17. Puehringer HM, Zinoecker I, Marzban G, Katinger H, Laimer M. MdAP, a novel protein in apple, is associated with the major allergen Mal d 1. Gene. 2003;321:173–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1119(03)00822-9
  18. 18. Șestacova T, Clapco S, Port A, Duca M. Studies concerning the allergenicity of different apple varieties cultivated in Republic of Moldova. Sci Pap Ser Agron. 2016;59:77–82.
  19. 19. Kaeswurm JAH, Straub LV, Siegele A, Brockmeyer J, Buchweitz M. Characterization and quantification of Mal d 1 isoallergen profiles and contents in traditional and commercial apple varieties by mass spectrometry. J Agric Food Chem. 2023;71(5):2554–65. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c05801
  20. 20. Kiewning D, Schmitz-Eiberger M. Effects of long-term storage on Mal d 1 content of four apple cultivars with initial low Mal d 1 content. J Sci Food Agric. 2014;94(4):798–802. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.6448
  21. 21. Gao ZS, Van De Weg WE, Schaart JG, Van Der Meer IM, Kodde L, Laimer M, et al. Linkage map positions and allelic diversity of two Mal d 3 (non-specific lipid transfer protein) genes in the cultivated apple (Malus domestica). Theor Appl Genet. 2005;110(3):479–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-004-1856-9
  22. 22. Sancho AI, Rigby NM, Zuidmeer L, Asero R, Mistrello G, Amato S, et al. The effect of thermal processing on the IgE reactivity of the non-specific lipid transfer protein from apple, Mal d 3. Allergy. 2005;60(10):1262–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00876.x
  23. 23. Carnés J, Ferrer A, Fernández-Caldas E. Allergenicity of 10 different apple varieties. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006;96(4):564–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1081-1206(10)63551-X
  24. 24. Gau AE, Koutb M, Piotrowski M, Kloppstech K. Accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins in the apoplast of a susceptible cultivar of apple (Malus domestica cv. Elstar) after infection by Venturia inaequalis and constitutive expression of PR genes in the resistant cultivar Remo. Eur J Plant Pathol. 2004;110(7):703–11. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EJPP.0000041552.98673.e3
  25. 25. Borges JP, Jauneau A, Brulé C, Culerrier R, Barre A, Didier A, et al. The lipid transfer proteins (LTP) essentially concentrate in the skin of Rosaceae fruits as cell surface exposed allergens. Plant Physiol Biochem. 2006;44(10):535–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2006.09.018
  26. 26. Oh DH, Song KJ, Shin YU, Chung WI. Isolation of a cDNA encoding a 31-kDa pathogenesis-related 5/thaumatin-like (PR5/TL) protein abundantly expressed in apple fruit (Malus domestica cv. Fuji). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2000;64(2):355–62. https://doi.org/10.1271/bbb.64.355

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.