Acid glycosidases from hen oviduct and egg albumen

Activities of seven acid glycosidases: β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (β-HEX), α- and β-galactosidase (α- and β-GAL), α- and β-mannosidase (α- and β-MAN), α-glucosidase and α-fucosidase in magnum region of hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) oviduct, and four acid glycosidases: β-HEX, β-GAL, α- and β-MAN in egg albumen, were investigated. β-HEX from magnum and egg albumen hydrolysed 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-N-acetylhexosamine-6-sulphate (4-MeUmbGlcNAc-6-SO4) like mammalian β-HEX form A. Multiple forms of magnum and egg albumen β-HEX, β-GAL, α- and β-MAN were separated by strong anion exchange chromatography and chromatofocusing method. Chromatofocusing of the magnum resulted in the appearance of multiple forms for β-HEX with pI of 6.18, 5.43, 5.55, 5.34, 5.27 and 5.16, for β-GAL with pI of 4.98, 4.84, 4.77, 4.64 and 4.68-4.63, for α-MAN with pI of ≥ 7.4, 6.75, 6.62 and 6.26, and for β-MAN two forms with pI of 6.37 and 5.77. Chromatofocusing of egg albumen yields multiple forms for β-HEX with pI of 6.24, 6.08, 5.55 and 5.35, for β-GAL two forms with pI of 5.10 and 4.86-4.80 for α-MAN multiple forms with pI of ≥ 7.4, 6.80, 6.60 and 6.30, and for β-MAN forms with pI of 6.30 and 5.77. In conclusion, this study was the first to show β-HEX activity against 4-MeUmbGlcNAc-6-SO4 in the magnum and albumen of bird eggs, corresponding to β-HEX A activity in mammals. Main multiple forms of β-HEX, β-GAL, α- and β-MAN occurring in the magnum were revealed in the egg albumen. Comparison with a cock of the same breed showed that hen egg magnum and albumen has the same multiple forms of the enzymes that are found in the epididymides and seminal plasma of the cock.