STUDIES ON THE LIVETINS OF EGG YOLK: III. HETEROGENEITY AND IMMUNOELECTROPHORETIC BEHAVIOR OF BETA-LIVETIN

Abstract

Starch-gel electrophoresis of the total livetins of hen's egg yolk resolved 16 zones: seven major zones, six minor zones, and three faint, diffuse zones. One zone was identified with the major component of paper electrophoretic alpha-livetin and hence with serum albumin. Four of the major zones were identified with the major components of paper electrophoretic beta-livetin on the one hand, and with an electrophoretically heterogeneous livetin antigen (livetin antigen 3) on the other hand, thus establishing the electrophoretic heterogeneity and relative immunological homogeneity of the paper electrophoretic beta-livetin fraction. The other two major starch-gel electrophoretic zones were identified as transferrins by their positive staining reaction for iron and comparison of their mobilities with two corresponding serum starch-gel fractions.