title: Eggshell matrix proteins as defense mechanism of avian eggs.
abstract: This study focused on the role of eggshell matrix proteins as a function of potential natural antimicrobial defenses of avian eggs. The electrophoretic profile of SDS-PAGE showed that the soluble eggshell matrix proteins had three major bands of 15 000, 36 000, and 66 000 and several minor bands comprising 17 000, 25 000, 30 000, and 75 000, while insoluble matrix proteins were consisting of various bands comprising at least 16 distinct migration bands between 10 000 and 200 000. Three bacteria species, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus, were found to be inhibited in the presence of soluble eggshell matrix proteins (100 microg/mL). On the other hand, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis were weakly inhibited at only an early stage of incubation time (up to 4 h). Scanning electron microscopy revealed that eggshell matrix proteins might interact and disrupt the membrane integrity of bacteria. The present study clearly indicated that avian eggshell matrix proteins possess a potential of novel antimicrobial defensin mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada. ymine@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oberle
authors.forename: Zeina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kassaify
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004527:Egg Proteins