Lactoferrin (LF) is a ubiquitous cationic iron-binding milk glycoprotein. LF is known to exert a broad-spectrum primary defense activity against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses in mammals. The Bovine LF (BLF) gene was introduced to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var Xanthi) and Arabidopsis (A. thaliana) plants via Agrobacterium. Detached leaves of transgenic tobacco plants exhibited high levels of resistance against a fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. In addition, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings were resistant to R. solani and did not show damping off symptoms. Previous studies have shown that LF also imparts resistance in plants against a bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. This, together with the fact that LF is regarded as a safe food component, makes it a potentially highly-desirable candidate to introduce broad spectrum resistance against plant pathogens.

Lactoferrin imparts resistance against fungal pathogens in transgenic plants

244th National Meeting (2012)

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