title: Effect of fertilization on structural and molecular characteristics of hen egg ovalbumin.
abstract: Egg ovalbumin possesses high processing properties and allergenic behaviour relating to its particular molecular structure. Fertilized eggs provide a natural model for studying the structural change of ovalbumin. After fertilization, free sulfhydryl content increased from 1.03μmol/g protein to 1.07 and 1.25μmol/g protein on days 9 and 15 of incubation. Surface hydrophobicity of fertilized egg ovalbumin was higher than that of unfertilized egg ovalbumin (42.59), reaching 47.00 and 53.09 at 9 and 15days. A secondary structural change occurred during this period, characterized by an increase in extended-chain segments and a decrease in intermolecular β-sheets. Hydrolysis degree of ovalbumin increased from 10.17% to 16.40% after 15days of incubation. Furthermore, new ovalbumin-related proteins X and Y emerged on day 9, and then all ovalbumin spots reduced in abundance on day 15. These results warrant further research into the effect of fertilization on functional properties of ovalbumin.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China. Electronic address: xmxu@jiangnan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuebo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi 214122, PR China.
authors.forename: Xueming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010047:Ovalbumin
keywords: Egg ovalbumin; Fertilization; Structural characteristics