Antibacterial activity and binding ability of bovine lactoferrin against Pseudomonas spp.

The antibacterial activity of bovine lactoferrin was tested against Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas syringae. The activity was studied by monitoring the growth of a Pseudomonas spp. in the presence or absence of bovine apo-lactoferrin, bovine holo-lactoferrin or native-lactoferrin in liquid media at different concentrations. Lactoferrin-binding proteins in the membrane fractions of Pseudomonas spp. were detected using far-Western blot analysis. The addition of bovine lactoferrin to the medium inhibited the growth of all tested strains. Furthermore, the growth of P. fluorescens and P. syringae was strongly inhibited by bovine apo-lactoferrin. The estimated molecular weights of lactoferrin-binding proteins in P. fluorescens were 70, 49, 47 and 25 kDa, and 70, 48 and 28 kDa in P. syringae.