Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used for analyzing emu and hen egg white proteins. The 78 kDa protein spots of emu and hen egg whites had varied isoelectric points, 9.0 and 6.0, respectively. The protein spot of emu egg white showed 75% homology with the N-terminal region of ovotransferrin from Gallus gallus domesticus (hen). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) pattern of emu egg white was different from that of hen egg white. In addition, on DSC analysis using purified ovotransferrin from emu egg white, the 2 endothermic peaks were observed at 60℃ and 80℃. This might suggest that emu and hen egg whites contain distinct heat shock (HS) proteins. Moreover, these results suggest the effect of HS proteins on the thermal properties of emu egg white.
