Bacteriostatic Activity of Whey Acidic Protein (WAP)

Tokuko IWAMORI; Naoko NUKUMI; Kikuji ITOH; Kiyoshi KANO; Kunihiko NAITO; Masamichi KUROHMARU; Keitaro YAMANOUCHI; Hideaki TOJO

doi:10.1292/jvms.08-0331

Bacteriology

Bacteriostatic Activity of Whey Acidic Protein (WAP)

Tokuko IWAMORI, Naoko NUKUMI, Kikuji ITOH, Kiyoshi KANO, Kunihiko NAITO, Masamichi KUROHMARU, Keitaro YAMANOUCHI, Hideaki TOJO

Author information

Tokuko IWAMORI
Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Naoko NUKUMI
Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Kikuji ITOH
Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Kiyoshi KANO
Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Kunihiko NAITO
Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Masamichi KUROHMARU
Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Keitaro YAMANOUCHI
Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Hideaki TOJO
Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Yamazaki College of Animal Health Technology

Keywords: antimicrobial peptides, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial substance

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2010 Volume 72 Issue 5 Pages 621-625

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.08-0331

View "Advance Publication" version (December 15, 2009).

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Abstract

We have previously reported the action of whey acidic protein (WAP) inhibiting the proliferation of mouse mammary epithelial cells in the experiments utilizing in vivo and in vitro systems. We report herein the bacteriostatic activity of WAP. Western blot analysis demonstrated successful isolation of WAP from whey fractions of rat milk by column chromatography. The WAP fraction inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus JCM2413 in a dose-dependent manner, but did not inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli. The bacteriostatic activity of WAP was highest at pH 6.6 and was not affected by the presence of 150 mM NaCl. A scanning electron micrograph of bacteria treated with WAP exhibited the disruption of the bacterial cell walls.

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