High performance displacement chromatography of proteins: Separation of β-Lactoglobulins A and B

Application of Ion Exchange and Adsorption Techniques for Separation of Whey Proteins from Bovine Milk

Background:

The world production of whey was estimated to be more than 200 million tons per year. Although whey is an important source of proteins with high nutritional value and biotechnological importance, it is still considered as a by-product of the dairy industry with low economic value due to low industrial exploitation. There are several challenges in the separation of whey proteins: low concentration, the complexity of the material and similar properties (pI, molecular mass) of some proteins.

Methods:

A narrative review of all the relevant papers on the present methodologies based on ion-exchange and adsorption principles for isolation of whey proteins, known to the authors, was conducted.

Results:

Traditional ion-exchange techniques are widely used for the separation and purification of the bovine whey proteins. These methodologies, based on the anion or cation chromatographic procedures, as well as combination of aforementioned techniques are still preferential methods for the isolation of the whey proteins on the laboratory scale. However, more recent research on ion exchange membranes for this purpose has been introduced, with promising potential to be applied on the pilot industrial scale. Newly developed methodologies based either on the ion-exchange separation (for example: simulated moving bed chromatography, expanded bed adsorption, magnetic ion exchangers, etc.) or adsorption (for example: adsorption on hydroxyapatite or activated carbon, or molecular imprinting) are promising approaches for scaling up of the whey proteins’ purification processes.

Conclusion:

Many procedures based on ion exchange are successfully implemented for separation and purification of whey proteins, providing protein preparations of moderate-to-high yield and satisfactory purity. However, the authors anticipate further development of adsorption-based methodologies for separation of whey proteins by targeting the differences in proteins’ structures rather than targeting the differences in molecular masses and pI. The complex composite multilayered matrices, including also inorganic components, are promising materials for simultaneous exploiting of the differences in the masses, pI and structures of whey proteins for the separation.

Purification of proteins using displacement chromatography

Displacement chromatography has several advantages over the nonlinear elution technique, as well as the linear elution mode, such as the recovery of purified components at high concentrations, less tailing during elution, high throughput and high resolution. Displacer affinity and its utilization are the critical components of displacement chromatography. Particularly, the nonspecific interactions between the displacer and the stationary phase can be exploited to generate high affinity displacers. This chapter will discuss the design and execution of displacer selection and implementation in a separation specifically focusing on its utilization in ion exchange chromatography.

Csaba Horváth and preparative liquid chromatography

Few chromatographers have been interested in furthering preparative liquid chromatography. The pioneers, Tswett, Kuhn and Lederer, A.J.P. Martin, Tiselius, isolated fractions but as an intermediate step in the analysis of their samples. The progress in electronics and sensors, and in their miniaturization has lead to the paradoxical situation that the analysts never see the transient pure fractions that their detector quantitates. Yet, over the last 25 years, preparative liquid chromatography has become an important industrial process for the separation, the extraction, and/or the purification of many pharmaceuticals or pharmaceutical intermediates, including pure enantiomers, purified peptides and proteins, compounds that are manufactured at the relatively large industrial scale of a few kilograms to several hundred tons per year. This development that has strongly affected the modem pharmaceutical industry is mainly due to the pioneering work of Csaba Horváth. His work in preparative HPLC was critical at both the practical and the theoretical levels. He was the first scientist in modem times to pay serious attention to the relationships between the curvature of the equilibrium isotherms, the competitive nature of nonlinear isotherms, and the chromatographic band profiles of complex mixtures. The thermodynamics of multi-component phase equilibria and mass transfer kinetics in chromatography attracted his interest and were the focus of ground-breaking contributions. He investigated displacement chromatography, an old method invented by Tiselius that Csaba was first to implement in HPLC. This choice was explained by the essential characteristic of displacement chromatography, in that it delivers fractions that can be far more concentrated than the feed. Remarkably, once the basics of nonlinear chromatography had been mastered in his group, most of the applications that were studied by his coworkers dealt with peptides of various sizes and with proteins. Thus, all the applications of preparative HPLC in the biotechnologies derive directly from Csaba's work. Although displacement did not pan out as a general method, the reasons are related more to practical constraints of the production of pharmaceuticals and to the long period of cheap energy that might be ending now. This report reviews Csaba's work in nonlinear chromatography.

The contributions of Csaba Horváth to liquid chromatography

This article is not a biographic description of the life of Csaba Horváth, but an attempt to describe his most important contributions to liquid chromatography, as viewed by an author who himself started with HPLC in 1973. With the introduction of columns packed with rigid pellicular particles, which could withstand high pressures, the combination of fast separations with high efficiency was designated high pressure liquid chromatography about 35 years ago. The contribution of Horváth to the birth of modern LC was to imagine the potential for high-speed separations in LC by transferring ideas and technology from gas chromatography. From this time, his strong participation in understanding and describing the processes of separation science made him a leading scientist in fundamental studies of separation principles until his passing away in April 2004. In addition to being one of the forefathers of modern liquid chromatography, Csaba Horváth described both the ionic interactions and the hydrophobic interactions on ion exchangers as well as on reversed phase materials and developed a theoretical basis for understanding these processes. If one person should be mentioned as the inventor of ion-pair chromatography of organic compounds, of hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and of the theoretical basis for reversed phase chromatography, this person is Csaba Horváth. Throughout the last 30 years he also had a strong interest in studying proteins in separation processes, and in the last decade he made valuable contributions to capillary electrochromatography, particularly for separation of proteins on monolithic columns. For this author is difficult to find another person who has had a greater impact on liquid chromatography than Csaba Horváth.

Microcalorimetric studies of the interaction mechanisms between proteins and Q-sepharose at pH near the isoelectric point (pI) effects of NaCl concentration, pH value, and temperature

This study examined the interaction mechanisms of beta-lactoglobulins A and B (Lg A, Lg B) with an anion exchanger, Q-Sepharose at pH near the isoelectric point at which the proteins are expected to be electrically neutralized under various NaCl concentrations and temperatures by the equilibrium binding analysis and the adsorption enthalpy directly measured by isothermal titration calorimetry. The data evaluated from isotherms fitted by the Langmuirean model reveal that the addition of NaCl considerably reduced the binding affinities and capacities of both the proteins with Q-Sepharose at pH 5.2, indicating that electrostatic forces are dominant during the adsorption. However, the hydrophobic interaction seems to be involved in adsorption as well at a higher NaCl concentration, and the adsorption enthalpies confirm this suggestion. In addition, the effects of temperature on the equilibrium binding behaviors for Lg A or Lg B with Q-Sepharose were found to be salt concentration-dependent, probably due to their different binding mechanisms at 0.03 M and 0.3 M NaCl. Where, at 0.3 M NaCl, the hydrophobic interaction plays a more pronounced role. This implication was again supported by the adsorption enthalpies. The presented data provide further insight to the interaction mechanisms between proteins and ion exchangers, facilitating the optimization of protein separations.

Thermosensitive copolymers of N-vinylimidazole as displacers of proteins in immobilised metal affinity chromatography

Synthetic copolymers of N-vinylcaprolactam (VCL) and N-vinylimidazole (VI) were studied as thermosensitive, reusable displacers for immobilised metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) of proteins. The copolymer with weight-average molecular mass of 11700 g/mol prepared by free radical polymerisation at a 9:1 monomer molar ratio was separated into several fractions by IMAC and thermal precipitation. The fraction with an average VI content of 8.5% was most efficient as a reusable displacer for IMAC of ovalbumin, lysozyme and other proteins of egg white on Cu2+-IDA-Sepharose. The displacer exhibited a sharp breakthrough curve and binding capacity of 16-20 mg/ml gel, depending on the flow-rate. The recovery of egg white proteins in the course of displacement chromatography was >95%. The displacer could be removed quantitatively from the protein fractions by thermal precipitation at 48 degrees C. Co-precipitation of lysozyme with the displacer was minimal in the presence of 3% (v/v) acetonitrile, while the lysozyme enzymatic activity in the supernatant was completely retained. Addition of free imidazole to the mobile phase increased the rate of protein desorption and allowed better separation of egg white proteins and the displacer in the course of chromatography. The displacement profile of the egg white extract consisted of three zones with different distributions of individual proteins characterised by SDS-PAGE. Regeneration of the column was easily performed with 0.02 M EDTA in 0.15 M sodium chloride, pH 8.0, followed by washing with distilled water and reloading with Cu2+. The displacer could also be regenerated by thermal precipitation at 48 degrees C and subsequent dialysis against dilute hydrochloric acid (pH 2.5).

Hydrophobic displacement chromatography of proteins

Displacement chromatography of proteins was successfully carried out in both hydrophobic interaction and reversed-phase chromatographic systems using low-molecular weight displacers. The displacers employed for hydrophobic displacement chromatography were water soluble, charged molecules containing several short alkyl and/or aryl groups. Spectroscopy was employed to verify the absence of structural changes to the proteins displaced on these hydrophobic supports. Displacement chromatography on a reversed-phase material was employed to purify a growth factor protein from its closely related variants, demonstrating the high resolutions that can be achieved by hydrophobic displacement chromatography. This process combines the high-resolution/high-throughput characteristics of displacement chromatography with the unique selectivity of these hydrophobic supports and offers the chromatographic engineer a powerful tool for the preparative purification of proteins.

Phytic acid as an efficient low-molecular-mass displacer for anion-exchange displacement chromatography of proteins

Phytic acid, inositol-hexaphosphoric acid, molecular mass 650, a low-molecular-mass compound, has been identified as a nearly ideal displacer in anion-exchange displacement chromatography for the concentration and purification of model protein mixture. The concentration of low-molecular-mass displacer is a very important parameter for successful separation by displacement chromatography. Displacer concentration influences the formation of the isotachic train and the yield and recovery of the displacement chromatographic process. There is an optimum displacer concentration in which the yield and recovery are highest.

Optimization of ion-exchange displacement separations. II. Comparison of displacement separations on various ion-exchange resins

A variety of stationary-phase materials are currently available for the chromatographic purification of biomolecules. However, the effect of various resin characteristics on the performance of displacement chromatography has not been studied in depth. In Part I, a novel iterative scheme was presented for the rapid optimization of displacement separations in ion-exchange systems. In this article, the optimization scheme is employed to identify the optimum operating conditions for displacement separations on various ion-exchange resin materials. In addition, the effect of different classes of separation problems (e.g., diverging, converging or parallel affinity lines) on the performance of displacement separations is also presented. The solid film linear driving force model is employed in concert with the Steric Mass Action isotherm to describe the chromatographic behavior in these systems. The results presented in this article provide insight into the effects of resin capacity and efficiency as well as the type of separation problem on the performance of various ion-exchange displacement systems.

Cation-exchange displacement chromatography for the purification of recombinant protein therapeutics from variants

Removal of low level impurities that are closely related to the bioproduct is a commonly encountered challenge in the purification of biopharmaceuticals. These separations are typically carried out by using shallow linear salt gradients at relatively low column loadings, significantly limiting the throughput of the purification process. In this manuscript we examine the utility of displacement chromatography for the purification of recombinant human brain-derived neurotrophic factor, rHuBDNF. The utility of displacement chromatography is compared to gradient elution for the removal of variants of the rHuBDNF. The results demonstrate that displacement chromatography is capable of achieving high yields and purity at high column loadings. Displacements developed on 20 microns and 50 microns cation-exchange resins are shown to provide 8-fold and 4.5-fold increases in production rates, respectively, when compared to an existing linear gradient elution operation. These results demonstrate the efficacy of displacement chromatography for the purification of therapeutic proteins from complex feed streams.

Displacement chromatography of proteins using a self-sharpening pH front formed by adsorbed buffering species as the displacer

The preparative-scale separation of two proteins into adjoined, pure bands was accomplished using a novel, hybrid chromatography method which employs chromatofocusing using a self-sharpening pH front and displacement development. The method eliminates the use of a traditional displacer for accomplishing displacement chromatography, and was used to separate the A and B forms of beta-lactoglobulin using a strong-base anion-exchange column packing and a buffer system composed of acetic acid and either 3-(N-morpholino)propane-sulfonic acid (MOPS) or 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES). Sample loads up to 150 mg of protein were applied to a 75 x 7.5 mm column to produce a displacement train composed of highly pure protein bands with greater than 90% recovery of protein. A discussion is given of the chromatographic behavior of proteins under concentration overloaded conditions for the case where a self-sharpening pH front formed using adsorbed buffering species is used to desorb proteins from an anion-exchange column packing.

Structural characteristics of low-molecular-mass displacers for cation-exchange chromatography

The relative efficacy of a variety of low-molecular-mass displacers was examined using a displacer ranking plot. This method enables an evaluation of the dynamic affinity of a variety of displacers over a range of operating conditions. Several homologous series of molecules were evaluated to provide insight into the effects of various structural features on displacer efficacy. The results indicate that linear flexible geometries may have advantages over branched or cyclic structures. Data also indicate that the spreading out of charges may increase affinity. The incorporation of aromatic moieties in these displacers, particularly near the surface of the molecules, appears to result in a dramatic increase in displacer affinity. The ability of several high-affinity low-molecular-mass displacers a very strongly bound cationic protein is also examined. The results confirm the predictions of the theory and indicate that it is indeed possible to displace highly bound macromolecules with low-molecular-mass dispatchers. The work presented in this paper indicates that non-specific interactions can be exploited for producing high-affinity low-molecular-mass displacers.

Comparison of anion-exchange and hydroxyapatite displacement chromatography for the isolation of whey proteins

In displacement chromatography, several substances may be isolated and concomitantly concentrated, which makes this separation procedure attractive for the processing of diluted product streams containing a number of high value substances. Here, the suitability of anion-exchange and hydroxyapatite displacement chromatography for the processing of technical dairy whey is investigated. The pH and flow-rate of the carrier, the displacer chemistry and, in case of the apatite, the particle diameter of the stationary phase are considered. As a consequence of the pH sensitivity of the beta-lactoglobulin, one major whey component, apatite displacement chromatography is less then successful in whey separation. At a denaturing carrier pH (> 8.5) the beta-lactoglobulin zone is broad and stretches over the entire displacement train. At a lower carrier pH, previously successful polyanionic displacers do not bring about separation, while low-molecular-mass ones do, but they tend to overrun and thus contaminate the protein zones. In the case of anion-exchange displacement chromatography, polyanions, especially polyacrylic acid (PAA, M(r) 6000), constitute suitable displacers. Here too, a carrier pH of 8.0 is most suited to the separation of the whey proteins. The low-molecular mass-displacer iminodiacetic acid (IDA, M(r) 133.4), on the other hand, displaces only alpha-lactalbumin. The beta-lactoglobulin remains on the column. PAA is used as the displacer to process a dairy whey sample.

Alginate as a displacer for protein displacement chromatography

Alginate use in displacement chromatography as a displacer has been studied. The experiments showed that untreated alginate is the basis of potential displacer for displacement chromatography, but needs to be cleaved into smaller chains. Alginate treated with ultrasound, which cleaves alginate into shorter polysaccharide chains, gave better displacement than untreated alginate, while alginate subjected to limited acid hydrolysis gave the best results in displacement chromatography. It was found that the mixture of ovalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin separated well, and several components of ovalbumin were also separated and purified when alginate hydrolysate was used as a displacer. beta-Lactoglobulins A and B, which have the same molecular weight and differ in isoelectric point by only 0.1 pH units, were displaced from Q-Sepharose by alginate hydrolysate.

Chromatography in the downstream processing of biotechnological products

Chromatography techniques are essential for the isolation and purification of most of the high value products of modern biotechnology. The economically sensible and technically satisfactory downstream processing of a therapeutic protein, usually involves a number of chromatographic steps. Its development and optimization require considerable knowledge of the various physico-chemical and engineering aspects of biochemical chromatography. This review addresses the various modes of chromatography and the design of chromatographic separation processes from a biotechnologist's point of view. Strategies for optimizing the structure of the downstream process are outlined and scaling up consideration are discussed. The importance of the different chromatographic methods in research and development is estimated in an analysis of protein purification schemes recently published in the literature. Finally, examples of the application of chromatographic procedures for process scale product purification in the biotechnological industry are given.

Purification of complex protein mixtures by ion-exchange displacement chromatography using spacer displacers

The anion-exchange separation of complex protein mixtures by displacement chromatography using spacer displacers driven by high-affinity final displacers is demonstrated. Guinea pig serum was separated on a medium-resolution adsorbent using a single heterogeneous mixture of carboxymethyldextran displacers to space the protein components. Mouse liver cytosol was separated on a low-resolution adsorbent using six carboxymethyldextran spacer displacers of increasing column affinity. The demonstration of the purification of alkaline phosphatase from E. coli periplasm by displacement chromatography on a high-performance liquid chromatography column is reviewed. The benefits of spacer displacers for separating minor components from complex biological protein mixtures is discussed. A simplified method for preparing carboxymethyldextran displacers is presented.

Rapid displacement chromatography of melittin on micropellicular octadecyl-silica

Rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis and displacement purification of melittin and its variants were carried out by reversed-phase chromatography. High speed of separation was achieved by the use of columns packed with a micropellicular stationary phase consisting of a thin C18 hydrocarbonaceous layer on the surface of 2-microns fluid-impervious silica microspheres at elevated temperature. In the case of melittin from bee venom or its synthetic variants the plots of the logarithmic retention factor against acetonitrile concentration in the eluent were straight lines whereas the van't Hoff plots in the temperature range from 20 to 80 degrees C were non-linear. Purification of melittins by displacement was carried out with benzyldimethylhexadecyl ammonium chloride as the displacer. In a 20-min displacement run at 40 degrees C about 5 mg of highly pure melittin were isolated from 10 mg of synthetic mixture by using a 105 x 4.6 mm column. The results demonstrate that columns packed with micropellicular sorbents not only facilitate rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis but are also suitable for fast peptide purification with high recovery.

Large-scale purification of the synthetic peptide fragment 163-171 of human interleukin-beta by multi-dimensional displacement chromatography

Multi-dimensional chromatography has been used successfully in the displacement mode for the purification of the synthetic peptide H-Val-Gln-Gly-Glu-Glu-Ser-Asn-Asp-Lys-OH, the fragment 163-171 of human interleukin-beta. This peptide can mimic several of the in vivo and in vitro immunostimulatory activities of the entire protein, except for the inflammatory effect. A large-scale procedure has been developed to purify the synthetic peptide by reversed-phase (RP) and ion-exchange (IE) displacement chromatography (DC) in a single run without any pretreatment. Masses from 100 mg to about 35 g of the unpurified compounds synthesized by a solid-phase technique on a Merrifield-type resin and obtained by acidolytic cleavage from the solid support, can be purified in this way. In the RP-DC mode the carrier and the displacer were aqueous solutions of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid and 50 mM benzyltributylammonium chloride, respectively, whereas in the IE-DC mode the carrier was water and the displacer 50 mM ammonium citrate solution. RP-DC and IE-DC were also performed in series by directing the effluent of the RP column onto the IE column. Peptide purities and recoveries greater than 96 and 90%, respectively, were obtained.

Evaluation of displacement chromatography for the recovery of lactate dehydrogenase from beef heart under scale-up conditions

A complex mixture of proteins was subjected to displacement development from a Tris Acryl DEAE anion-exchange column. Lactate dehydrogenase was used as the target protein in the evaluation of the resolution and separation under scale-up conditions. The conditions of operation were scaled up in terms of column size and protein load. Column length was found to play an important role in resolving the mixture. The performance of the displacement mode run was compared with a conventional ion-exchange elution run in terms of fraction purity and specific activities. In general, displacement chromatography of the complex mixture yielded better results.