Abstract

The eggs of chickens and other birds contain two proteins that bind biotin. Both are homotetrameric proteins of similar size. In contrast to the well-characterized egg white avidin, egg yolk biotin-binding protein has a very acidic isoelectric point, binds biotin with lower affinity, and is usually saturated with biotin. Like other egg yolk proteins, biotin-binding protein appears to be synthesized in the liver, transported by the blood stream to the ovary and deposited in the developing oocyte. Since the yolk of a chicken egg contains over 90% of the biotin in an egg and all of the biotin is bound to biotin-binding protein, the function of biotin-binding protein is undoubtedly to transport biotin to the egg for future use by the developing embryo. Avidin is produced by the oviduct and in the egg it is presumed to deter microbial growth around the oocyte by sequestering biotin. Among the eggs examined, those from turkeys have the lowest amount of biotin-binding protein and the highest amount of avidin. Furthermore, the majority of the biotin in turkey eggs can be bound to avidin in the egg white, suggesting a nutritional role for avidin in turkeys. An assay has been developed to conveniently measure apo- and holobiotin-binding proteins.