Allergens are substances that cause an allergic reaction. For example, an allergy to peanuts is caused by one or more specific chemicals (proteins) in the nuts. Allergens are often named for the genus and species from which they originate, followed by a number. For example, cupin, which is one of the allergens in peanuts, is written:
Ara h 1 [Arachis hypogaea (peanut), allergen 1]
Many allergens (including most food allergens and pollens) belong to large groups of related proteins called families, clans and superfamilies. Use lower case for common names of allergens:
cupin superfamily profilins nonspecific lipid transfer proteins
See also Proteins.
