Tab. 1.

List of identified and characterized shellfish allergens according to the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) Allergen Nomenclature

Biochemical name	Molecular weight	Heat stability and IgE binding	Route of exposure	IgE sensitization (%) (n = subjects tested)	Physiological function
Tropomyosin	34–38 kDa	highly heat stable and IgE reactive	ingestion inhalation	Pen a 1, 51 % (n = 45) [19] Lit v 1, 61 % (n = 19) [46] Pen m 1, 62 % (n = 16) [22]	Coiled-coil protein that binds to actin and regulates interaction of troponin and myosin
Arginine kinase	40–45 kDa	labile, but can elicit IgE binding	ingestion inhalation	Pen m 2, 50 % (n = 16) [22] Lit v 2, 21 % (n = 19) [46]	A kinase that catalyzes reversible transfer of phosphoryl group from ATP to arginine
Myosin light chain	17–20 kDa	stable	ingestion	Pen m 3, 31 % (n = 16) [22] Lit v 3, 31 % (n = 19) [46]	Regulatory function in smooth muscle contraction when phosphorylated by MLC kinase
Sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein	20–25 kDa	stable	ingestion	Pen m 4, 19 % (n = 16) [22] Lit v 4, 21 % (n = 19) [46]	Binds to cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) and acts as a calcium buffer regulating calcium based signalling
Troponin C	20–21 kDa	unknown	ingestion	Cra c 6, 29 % (n = 31) [29]	Regulates interaction of actin and myosin during muscle contraction on binding to calcium
Triosephosphate isomerase	28 kDa	labile	ingestion inhalation	Pen m 8, 19 % (n = 16) [22] Cra c 8, 23 % (n = 31) [29]	Key enzyme in glycolysis; catalyses conversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate