ABSTRACT
By means of immunochemical techniques, the protein components of the water-soluble fraction (WSF) of the egg yolk have been examined in the unincubated egg and during incubation.
Anti-ovalbumin and anti-total adult chicken serum antisera have been employed.
Ovalbumin can be detected in the unincubated WSF as well as during incubation; its concentration seems to increase during incubation.
In the WSF of the unincubated egg, six proteins immunologically related to adult serum proteins can be detected. They correspond to α-livetin, α1-globulin, β-livetin, ovotransferrin (conalbumin) and γ-livetin (two components). β-Livetin disappears after the 14th day of incubation while the other components can be demonstrated till hatching.
The findings are discussed in relation to the data available in the literature.
