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Dear Listmembers,

Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback on my summary of Celiac
research.  I am glad to be able to help in any way possible.  Please
remember, however, that as an undergraduate biology student I am by no
means an expert on biochemistry, immunology, or any of the other many
fields of study that could further our knowledge of Celiac.  It will be
many years before I would be able to properly answer all of the
questions that I have received.  I wish that I could help more of you.
I see now, more than ever, that we are all starving for research;
starving for answers.  Perhaps someday I will be able to help, in that
regard.

I have one small correction from a barley and malt research chemist, who
said that gluten "is actually a group of storage proteins found in the
starchy endosperm (inside) of grains, but this is not important for your
discussion."  He would certainly know more than I!

Also, a few people asked me what tissue transglutaminase (tTG) was (other
than just an enzyme), where it is normally located, and what it normally
does.  Well, I wasn't really sure, but I did some research and this is
what I have come up with.  tTG (as I said before, tissue
transglutaminase) is a calcium- dependent (activated) enzyme.  It is a
GTP (a form of energy that the body can use)-binding protein that
crosslinks proteins.  It is what the papers called a "cytosolic enzyme,"
which means that it is found in the cytoplasm of cells--the fluid medium
portein outside of organelles (the "little organs" found in cells, such
as the nucleus.  They need some "watery stuff" to float in).  tTG
normally binds and crosslinks fibronectin, which is a glycoprotein
(protein with a carboyhydrate) that works to adhere and enlarge the cell.
I don't know if that is incredibly helpful, but that was all that I could
find thus far.  Scientists are still researching tTG.  Considering that I
could find several recent papers!  on it, I would say that it's a hot
topic.  Interestingly enough, tTG also seemed to be involved in diabetes,
but I'm not really sure about the details of that.  Also, the
tTG-antibody test seemed to be the most efficient way of using a blood
test to diagnose Sprue.  If you want more info on that, there was a good
article about Sprue in the Gasteronterology journal at the following
site:  http://www.ginet.com/papers/701to800/mpape744.htm

As for the paper, well, many people have asked me to post it or make it
available by publishing.  I would love to publish it, if I could find a
way, although I would never want to charge you all for it.  Knowledge
should be free.  However, the paper in its current form was tailored
towards an organic chemistry and genetics class, so it is not as broad
as I'd like it to be (I find organic chemistry mechanisms to be "not
fun," shall we say).  I know that there are people in this listserv who
are extremely intelligent professionals who are very capable of
understanding all of the "science lingo."  I never meant to sound
condescending by saying that I wanted to make it more general.  However,
I would like to make it accessible for people who are not just
scientists, and I'd also like to revise it with more current reserach
(such as the tTG info.).  I would finally like to submit it to my mentor-
-an immunologist--at my university for review.  In other words, folks, I
want you to re! ad the very best and most accurate information.

Take care and happy eating!

Jessica