Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Egg white (albumen) contains a variety of functional proteins, many of which have biological activities that protect the developing embryo from microbial infection.
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze and match each egg protein with its primary functional property:
- (A) Ovomacroglobulin: This is a large glycoprotein that makes up about \(0.5\%\) of egg white protein. It is highly immunogenic and is recognized as being strongly antigenic (II).
- (B) Ovomucoid: This is a heat-resistant glycoprotein that constitutes about \(11\%\) of egg white. It is a well-known proteinase inhibitor that specifically inhibits trypsin (IV), preventing the enzymatic breakdown of egg proteins.
- (C) Ovotransferrin: Also known as conalbumin, this protein makes up about \(12\%\) of egg white. It is a metal-chelating glycoprotein that binds metallic ions (III), particularly \(Fe^{3+}\). By sequestering iron, it deprives bacteria of a vital nutrient, acting as an antimicrobial agent.
- (D) Avidin: This is a trace protein in egg white that forms an extremely strong non-covalent bond with biotin (I). This binding makes biotin unavailable to microorganisms, serving as an antimicrobial barrier.
Combining these individual matches:
\[ (A) \rightarrow (II), \quad (B) \rightarrow (IV), \quad (C) \rightarrow (III), \quad (D) \rightarrow (I) \]
This matches option (B).
Step 2: Final Answer:
The correct match is (A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (III), (D) - (I).