Immunochemical relationships of proteins of avian egg whites

The immunochemical interactions of the egg white proteins of different avian species were studied with homologous and heterologous antisera. Cross reactions were determined between egg whites of closely and distantly related species by using rabbit antisera to the egg whites of the closely and distantly related species, as well as rabbit antisera to the egg whites of intermediate species. The species studied included several galliformes, two anseriformes, a columbiforme, and several ratites. The interrelationships also were studied by using antisera to the purified conalbumins of two of the more distantly related species, chicken (a galliform), and cassowary (a ratite). The conalbumins gave the most extensive cross reactions of any of the major egg-white components, but a minor constituent gave a more extensive cross reaction than conalbumin.