Thermal transitions in the low-density lipoprotein and lipids of the egg yolk of hens.

1. Differential sanning calorimetry and light-scattering have been used to investigate temperature-dependent transitions in low-density lipoprotein and in lipids from hens' egg yolk. Yolks of different fatty acid composition were obtained by varying the dietary lipid and by adding methyl sterculate to the hen's diet. 2. Lipoprotein solutions in 50 percent glycerol/water gave characteristic melting curves between -25 degrees C and 50 degrees C, and on cooling showed increases in light-scattering between 10 degrees C and -20 degrees C. The temperatures at which major changes occurred depended on the proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. 3. The thermal transitions in the intact lipoprotein in glycerol solution were reversible, but with marked hysteresis. Lipid extracted from the lipoprotein did not show temperature hystersis but the transition heats and melting curves similar to those of the intact lipoprotein. The results support the hypothesis of a "lipid-core" structure for low-density lipoproteins. 4. Scanning calorimetry of egg-yolk lecithins indicated a strong dependence of transition temperature on water content in the rane 3 percent-20 percent water. A rise in the mid-temperature of the liquid-crystalline to gel transition as the water content is lowered on freezing may be the primary event in the irreversible gelation of egg yolk and aggregation of lipoprotein.

Proteins of the outer layer of the vitelline membrane of hen's eggs.

A study has been made of the proteins in the vitelline membrane of hen's eggs before and after mechanical separation into the inner and outer layers. The membranes were dissolved in detergent (sodium dodecyl sulphate) and chromatographic fractions were examined by gel electrophoresis. The separated inner and outer layers were compared by gel electrophoresis. The outer layer contained (i) enzymically active lysozyme (EC 3.2.1.17) (about 60% dry weight), (ii) an insoluble ovomucin complex and (iii) a new protein, VMOI (vitelline membrane outer I). These account for most of the protein. In addition, some minor constituents were detected by gel electrophoresis but were not isolated. Except for ovomucin, the constituents of the outer layer could be dissolved from the membrane at high ionic strength (greater than 0.5 M sodium chloride), resulting in a loss of its structure. On lowering the ionic strength the soluble proteins recombined with the membrane, partially regenerating the original structure. Ovomucin appears to form the skeleton of the outer layer, but the salt-soluble proteins, especially lysozyme, are responsible for its integrity. The function of the newly-recognized protein (VMOI) is not known. Its molecular weight is 17,500 according to gel electrophoresis in detergent and it contains no methionine. The inner layer consists largely of the proteins GPI, GPII and GPIII isolated by Kido et al. (Kido, S., Janado, M. and Nunoura, H. (1975) J. Biochem. 78, 261-268) from the whole membrane.

Increased thermal stability of proteins in the presence of sugars and polyols.

Sugars and polyols stablize proteins against heat denaturation. Scanning calorimetry was used to obtain a quantitative estimate of the degree of stabilization. Solutions of ovalbumin, lysozyme, conalbumin, and alpha-chymotrypsinogen were heated at a constant rate, and the temperature of the maximum rate of denaturation was estimated (Tm). Addition of a sugar or polyol raised Tm. The magnitude of the stabilizing effect (delta Tm) depended on both the nature of the protein and the nature of the sugar or polyol, ranging from 18.5 degrees C for lysozyme at pH 3 in the presence of 50% (w/w) sorbitol to 0 degrees C for conalbumin at pH 7 in 50% glycerol solution. It is argued that this stablization is due to the effects of sugars and polyols on hydrophobic interactions. The strength of the hydrophobic interaction was measured in model systems in sucrose and glycerol solutions. Sucrose and glycerol strengthened the pairwise hydrophobic interaction between hydrophobic groups; however, they reduced the tendency for complete transfer of hydrophobic groups from an aqueous to a nonpolar environment. The extent of stabliziation by different sugars and polyols is explained by their different influences on the structure of water. The difference between the partial molar volume of the sugar or polyol and its van der Waals volume was used as a rough quantitative measure of the structure-making or structure-breaking effect. There was a linear relationship between this quantity and delta Tm.

Allergens in the white and yolk of hen's egg. A study of IgE binding by egg proteins.

The radioallergosorbent test (RAST) was used to compare the IgE binding of egg white and yolk, and allergenic proteins were detected by immunoelectrotransfer ('Western blotting'). The main allergens were found in egg white, but for a large proportion of the egg-sensitive patients, yolk contained specific IgE-binding constituents. For blood sera from 36 patients, there was a positive correlation between the results of RAST for egg white and for yolk. Lysozyme was found to be an allergen for some patients. The effect of heating on the allergenicity of egg white was examined and the allergenicity of hen egg white was compared with that of a duck egg. The allergens in yolk were associated with each of the three yolk fractions, and several of the proteins in the low-density lipoprotein fraction bound IgE.