Differences in milk fat globule membrane proteins among Murrah, Nili-Ravi and Mediterranean buffaloes revealed by a TMT proteomic approach

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteins contribute to human nutrition and health. However, differences in MFGM proteome among the buffalo breeds are unknown. In this study, MFGM proteins from Murrah, Nili-Ravi and Mediterranean buffaloes were identified using a tandem mass tag proteomic approach to characterize the components and their potential activities. A total of 1258 MFGM proteins were identified and 103 differentially expressed proteins were found in the studied buffalo breeds. Of these, toll-like receptor 2 had higher abundance in Mediterranean milk; endoplasmic reticulum resident protein 29 had higher levels in Nili-Ravi milk; uromodulin had higher abundance in Murrah milk. A number of 781 newly proteins in buffalo milk exerted antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Our findings reveal the component complexity and functional diversity of MFGM proteins in different buffalo breeds. Thus, our data may path the way to promote raw buffalo milk as a healthy and functional dairy product.