celiac-wheat
Celiac-wheat research examines the specific gluten proteins in wheat—particularly gliadin and glutenin peptides—that trigger the autoimmune response in individuals with celiac disease. Understanding the molecular basis of these immunogenic sequences is critical for plant scientists breeding or engineering low-gluten wheat varieties that retain desirable baking properties while reducing health risks for sensitive populations.
PubMed · 2026-02-20
Scientists used gene editing to remove nearly all the proteins in bread wheat that trigger celiac disease, while keeping the wheat's baking properties intact and field yields essentially unchanged.
Gene editing reduced harmful immunogenic proteins in bread wheat by 97%, nearly eliminating the celiac disease trigger.
Immune cells from celiac disease patients showed no reaction when exposed to flour from the edited wheat lines.
Field crop yields from edited wheat were within 2% of unmodified wheat, confirming no meaningful agricultural trade-off.
