STUDIES ON THE RECOMBINANT BOVINE LACTOFERRIN AND HUMAN LYSOZYME: STRUCTURE, BIOSYNTHESIS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY IN MILK

Abstract

Milk contains several antimicrobial activities, including lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase and lysozyme, which may be involved in protecting against mastitis, protecting against bacterial growth post-harvest, and protecting the consumer of the milk product.

Lactoferrin is a milk glycoprotein occurring naturally in numerous bodily secretions, including milk, tears, mucus, blood, and saliva. The properties of lactoferrin can be summarized as follows:

Stimulation of the immune system , antibacterial, antiviral , promotion of good gut-flora , regulation of iron metabolism, prevention of oxidation and control of cell or tissues damage (result of aging)

Lactoferricin 8 (LF-8) is a peptide derived from acid-pepsin digestion of bovine lactoferrin, which has antimicrobial properties. Human lysozyme is an important enzyme which is part of the human

body's defense against some bacteria. It is found in abundance in tears, \ saliva and mucous.

This study was carried out in order to

- clone the full-length of lactoferrin gene using DNA procedures. The eDNA encoding bovine lactoferrin transferred into epithelial cells to make stable cell lines expressed bovine lactoferrrin (Part 1). - study the N-glycosylation, intracellular transport and sorting of recombinant bovine lactoferrin (Part 1). - generate the recombinant lactoferricin -8 using DNA procedures and pepsin digestion (Part II). - study the biosynthesis, N-glycosylation and sorting of human glycosylated lysozyme mutant (Part Ill).