Paul-Ehrlich-Institute Reports Findings in Allergies (DNA Meets Protein Development, Characterization, and Application of Aptamers against Peanut Allergen).

A recent report from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute in Langen, Germany discusses the development of synthetic aptamers as alternative binders in allergen detection. These aptamers were specifically selected against the major peanut allergen Ara h 1 and demonstrated comparable sensitivity to traditional antibody-based assays. The researchers suggest that this aptamer-based assay could be used for food labeling and quality assessment of diagnostic and therapeutic allergen products. The study highlights the potential for reducing the use of animal antibodies in allergen detection methods. [Extracted from the article]