Production and Characterization of Rabbit Polyclonal Antibodies to Almond (Prunus dulcis L.) Major Storage Protein

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Abstract
Rabbits were immunized with purified almond major protein (AMP), the primary storage protein in almonds. Rabbit anti-AMP polyclonal antibodies (PA) could detect AMP when as little as 1−10 ng/mL were used to coat microtiter plates in a noncompetitive enzyme linked−immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Competitive inhibition ELISA assays detected the AMP down to 300 ng/mL. PA recognized the AMP in protein extracts from all U. S. major marketing cultivars of almonds (Mission, Neplus, Peerless, Carmel, and Nonpareil) with specific reactivity of 52.6−75% as compared to that of the AMP alone. Immunoreactivity of protein extracts prepared from commercial samples of blanched almonds, roasted almonds, and almond paste was respectively reduced by 50.0%, 56.6%, and 68.4% (noncompetitive ELISA) when compared to the immunoreactivity of the AMP. Moist heat (121 °C, 15 min) pretreatment of the AMP reduced the PA reactivity by 87% (noncompetitive ELISA). Exposing AMP to pH extremes (12.5 and 1.5−2.5) caused a 53% and 57% reduction in PA reactivity, respectively (noncompetitive ELISA). PA showed some cross-reactivity with the cashew major globulin, and to a lesser extent, the Tepary and Great Northern bean major storage protein (7S or phaseolin). The presence of almonds in a commercial food was detected using PA in a competitive ELISA. Keywords: Almond; polyclonal antibodies; protein, processing, ELISA