High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins on compressed, non-porous agarose beads. I. Hydrophobic-interaction chromatography

Real-time kinetic analysis of limited proteolysis by ion-exchange chromatography using compressed, non-porous agarose beads

In biotechnology there is a great need for methods that can be used for kinetic studies of ongoing processes, such as limited proteolysis. Ion-exchange chromatography on a nonporous, compressed agarose matrix was used in the study presented in this paper to monitor papain cleavage of fungal cellulases. This non-porous matrix allows completion of a chromatographic analysis, with baseline resolution, within 30-60 s. Utilizing this very fast chromatographic method one can monitor a proteolysis 'continuously' by repeated chromatographic analysis of the incubation mixture and, if desired, terminate it at the optimal moment. Fractions were also collected for identification by activity assays and analytical SDS-PAGE.

High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins on deformed nonporous agarose beads: immuno-affinity chromatography, exemplified with human growth hormone as ligand and a combination of ethylene glycol and salt for desorption of the antibodies

An affinity chromatography column packed with nonporous agarose beads derivatized with human growth hormone via carbonyldiimidazol was used for the purification of antibodies against human growth hormone from antiserum. Desorption with 1 M sodium chloride in 60% ethylene glycol at pH 9.8 gave 100% total recovery of the antibodies, as measured by radioimmunoassay. The adsorption/desorption process is discussed in terms of hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction (these interactions may be involved in the bond between antibody and antigen in a cooperative fashion). The binding capacity of the column was estimated at about 50 micrograms of antibodies per gram sedimented agarose beads.

High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins on deformed nonporous agarose beads. Affinity chromatography of dehydrogenases based on cibacron blue-derivatized agarose

Nonporous agarose beads, prepared by shrinkage and cross-linking in organic solvents, were derivatized with Cibacron Blue F3G-A. A compressed bed of these beads was used for purification of dehydrogenases (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase). The chromatographic conditions for the purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were optimized by varying the pH of the buffer; the concentrations of eluting agents, i.e. NADP (specific elution) and sodium chloride (nonspecific elution); flow rate; residence time of the protein on the column bed; and protein load. Specific elution with NADP (2 mM in 0.025 M Tris-HCl, pH 8.0) gave the highest recovery (140%) and highest purification factor (200-fold) of the enzyme. The ability of the compressed bed of nonporous agarose beads to tolerate high flow rates was essential, since the recovery of the enzyme activity increased with an increase in flow rate.

High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins on deformed non-porous agarose beads. Fast boronate affinity chromatography of haemoglobin at neutral pH

Aminophenylboronic acid was attached to epoxy-activated non-porous agarose beads with diameters of 12-15 microns and this boronate gel column was used for the fractionation of glycosylated from non-glycosylated haemoglobin. By varying the experimental conditions it was shown that the ratio between the second peak (glycosylated haemoglobin) and the first peak (non-glycosylated haemoglobin) was virtually independent of pH in the range 7-8, ionic strength, flow-rate and sample load (up to at least 160 microliters of haemolysate on a 0.7-ml column). It is therefore not necessary to control thoroughly these parameters in order to obtain reproducible results, which is a great advantage in fast routine analyses of glycosylated haemoglobin. At a flow-rate of 4.0 ml/min an analysis was finished within 2 min on a 2.5 cm x 0.6 cm I.D. column. The total time of an analysis was also short because a sample from a droplet of blood could be applied directly onto the column after haemolysis for 1 min without removal of cell debris by time-consuming centrifugation. The experiments were performed at a pH close to the isoelectric point of haemoglobin, because at this pH haemoglobin has a negligible net charge and will therefore not interact with the charged groups of the ligands, the matrix and proteins adsorbed in previous runs.

High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins on compressed, non-porous agarose beads. II. Anion-exchange chromatography

Macroporous agarose beads were rendered impermeable to proteins by shrinkage and cross-linking in organic solvents. The chromatographic properties of compressed beds of these non-porous beads derivatized for high-performance ion-exchange chromatography were studied, e.g., the resolution as a function of gradient time, flow-rate (at constant gradient volume) and loading capacity. The columns permit high flow-rates and the resolution is about the same at low and high flow-rates. The beads are stable up to pH 14.