Biological Function of Lactoferrin in Milk

Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein and its bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria have been well-known. However, certain kind of lactic acid bacteria are resistant against its antibacterial effects. Moreover, it is reported that lactoferrin promotes the growth of bifidobacteria by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In this experiment, lactoferrin-binding protein was found both in the membrane and cytosolic franctions of Bifidobacterium. Bifidobacterium was grown in anaerobic conditions in MRS broth containing cysteine, gathered by centrifugation and processed by sonication. The lactoferrin-binding proteins on the PVDF-membrane transferred after SDS-PAGE were detected by far-western method using biotinylated lactoferrin and streptavidin-labeled horse radish peroxidase. Observation in growth effects of lactoferrin on Bifidobacterium suggested that there is a relation between the presence of lactoferrin-binding proteins on the cells and their growth.