The purification of lactoferrin from human whey by batch extraction

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Protein Chemistry

Background:

• Human whey is a rich source of bioactive proteins.
• Lactoferrin, a key whey protein, possesses significant antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties.
• Efficient isolation of lactoferrin is crucial for its therapeutic and commercial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and scalable method for lactoferrin purification from human whey.
• To achieve high purity and yield of lactoferrin.
• To simplify the labor and time requirements for lactoferrin isolation.

Main Methods:

• A two-step purification procedure involving batch adsorption to cellulose phosphate.
• Elution using a stepped salt and pH gradient.
• Gel filtration for the removal of low-molecular-weight impurities.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high purity of approximately 96% for the isolated lactoferrin.
• Obtained an average yield of 80% for lactoferrin.
• Demonstrated a significant reduction in labor and time compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed two-step method provides an efficient, rapid, and scalable approach for lactoferrin purification.
• This simplified procedure enhances the accessibility of purified lactoferrin for various applications.
• The high purity and yield make this method suitable for industrial-scale production.