The last review of the S-poor prolamins was published in 1995. Since then there has been a considerable increase in out knowledge of this interesting and unique group of proteins. The advances in the understanding of genetics and polymorphisms of the proteins are discussed including the available gene sequences and their alignments and consensus sequences. This group of prolamins are implicated as major allergens in WDEIA and wheat allergy and as immunodominant proteins in coeliac disease. The epitopes and their distribution throughout the protein sequences are reviewed. Their structure and physical chemistry is discussed in relation to their functional properties.
