Ovalbumin (OVA)

Ovalbumin is the major protein in chicken egg white, accounting for about 55% of its protein content[3][7]. It displays homology to the serpin superfamily but, unlike inhibitory serpins, it does not inhibit proteases and instead likely serves a storage or structural role[1][3][7]. Ovalbumin has a molecular mass of ~45 kDa, is glycosylated and phosphorylated, and consists of 385–386 amino acids[3][7]. Its structure has been widely used in studies of protein folding, aggregation, and allergenicity. Ovalbumin is a standard immunological reagent, as its strong antigenicity makes it a useful model protein for allergy research[3][7]. It is also important in food science due to its contribution to the gelation, foaming, and emulsification properties of egg whites[7].

Other names

OVAegg albuminegg white protein