Electrophoretic and Serological Analysis of the Egg Whites of Three Species of Cranes

Abstract

In order to test the characteritics of egg white proteins of cranes, the mobilities of protein fractions of the egg whites in polyacrylamide gel electrophorograms and the immunoelectrophoretic patterns of antisera from rabbit were compared for Grus gnus, G. vipio and G. japonensis. The serological relationships of the egg whites among the three species were also tested by means of the precipitation of egg white for the antisera from rabbits. The results obtained were summarized as follows :(1) Seven regions of the protein fractions were detected in polyacrylamide gel electrophorograms (Photo. 1).(2) The different electrophoretic mobilities were observed for three protein fractions, i.e, ovomucoid, conalbumin and x-protein. The mobilities of ovomucoid and x-protein of Grus japonensis were faster than those of the other two species, where as the mobility of conalbumn of the egg white of Grus vipio was faster than that of the other two species. However, it is possible that these differences are due to individual variation.(3) In precipitation by the method of ring test, the antibody titer of the antiserum from rabbit immunized with the egg white of Grus grus was 128 fold; the antibody content was about 92, 000 fold. The same test for the antisera of the other two species yielded similar results.(4) The antisera were analyzed by the method of immunoelectrophoretic assay and no difference was detected between the three species. Absorption tests also showed no difference in the antigens of the three species.