English
General description
Conalbumin, also referred to as ovotransferrin, is encoded by the avian transferrin gene in the oviduct. It is a monomeric glycoprotein consisting of 686 amino acids and is a member of transferrin family.[1] Conalbumin is one among the abundant proteins present in the chicken egg white.[2]
Application
Conalbumin has been used:
as a constituent of Leibovitz 15 (L15) medium involved in preparation of primary neuronal cultures[3]
to study its adsorption property on a metal surface in the presence of an external electric potential[4]
to determine its adsorption isotherms in anion exchange chromatography by multivariate analysis[5]
Biochem/physiol Actions
Conablumin (aka ovotransferrin) is a glycoprotein derived from egg white with a sequence similar to serum transferrin, but with a different glycosylation pattern. It is a strong iron binder with antiviral and antibacterial activities.
Conalbumin facilitates the transport of iron to the developing embryo. It exhibits anti-microbial activity thus, conalbumin is used in various applications such as infant formula ingredient, a food additive, and an antimicrobial agent for enhancing animal health. In addition, it also acts as an antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antioxidative, antihypertensive and immunoregulatory agent.[1]
