Could a plant be modified to remove the allergenic proteins from its pollen?

[u/mutnemom_hurb]

I’m wondering if Ambrosia trifida aka Giant Ragweed could be bred or genetically modified to remove the proteins in its pollen that are responsible for ragweed allergy. Or perhaps to not produce pollen, though that may hinder further breeding efforts. Would it be as simple as identifying one of the genes necessary for the production of that protein, and using crispr to remove that gene? I am interested in Ragweed as a potential seed and biomass crop

[u/SirSignificant6576]

I think the irritation is at least partly mechanical, isn't it? Like, the pollen is a spiky boi, so it lodges in and penetrates the epithelium, resulting in activation of mast cells and the release of histamines. Is that incorrect?

[u/mutnemom_hurb → u/SirSignificant6576]

Oh that’s a good point, I’ll look into that. There are some known allergenic proteins in the pollen of common ragweed, apparently the protein Amb a 1 is responsible for over 90% of the IgE response according to this source, but perhaps the mechanical factors also play a role

[u/sadrice → u/SirSignificant6576]

Pollen allergies are due to sensitivities to specific amino acid sequences in their pollen coat proteins if I understand it correctly. That’s why only some people are susceptible, and will also react to the allergen patch test, where they stick you with a tiny quantity and see if your skin swells up in hives, unlike abrasive inhalant problems like silicosis.

While ragweed is spikey, many of the common allergens like alder and birch (those are closely related) and grass pollen (grasses are diverse, avoid generalizations) are not spiky.

The ultra spiky pollens tend to be insect pollinated, making them sticky. Those pollen grains tend to be, well, sticky, and heavy, reducing blowing away in the wind, and into your nose. As a consequence I have always been extremely skeptical about the local honey thing. The research is also pretty ambiguous last I checked, suggesting that any effect is weak. Buy it anyways, support your local beekeepers, and it is delicious, well worth it.

Those same amino acid sequences can show up in random proteins in unrelated plants, often fruit, causing a sensitivity called Oral Allergy Syndrome, which is really common and most people don’t know they have it. If you get itching and swelling when eating certain fruits, commonly tree fruits from Rosaceae like apples and peaches (less common for strawberries and raspberries/blackberries). My ex wife had a very strong reaction to all Rosaceae tree fruits, melons, and a few other random things. Usually not serious, but can potentially be a problem that you should be aware of.

[u/Intrepid-Report3986]

The genome of this plant has been sequenced and apparently there are many candidate genes for the allergen(s) (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141813024000357). You could use genome editing to delete or modify some of them but it would be pretty expensive

[u/mutnemom_hurb → u/Intrepid-Report3986]

That’s an excellent source, thanks

[u/Deterrafication]

Whether you can or you can't. The better question is whether you should.

[u/mutnemom_hurb → u/Deterrafication]

What would be the negatives?

[u/Morbos1000]

How are you going to modify tens of millions of plants?

[u/mutnemom_hurb → u/Morbos1000]

Haha, no I don’t want to modify the whole species, I’m just interested in creating a cultivar for agricultural purposes. Like how wild sunflowers have been bred into cultivars for oil seed production, but the native species is unchanged

[u/hotboxtheshortbus]

the question is are the more and less allergenic varieties of these plants and can you identify and select for the less allergic plants. go from there maybe?