Particle fractionation in liquid two-phase systems; the composition of some phase systems and the behaviour of some model particles in them; application to the isolation of cell walls from microorganisms

Partitioning recombinant chitinase from Nicotiana benthamiana by an aqueous two-phase system based on polyethylene glycol and phosphate salts

The objectives of this study were to purify 42 kDa chitinase derived from Trichoderma asperellum SH16 produced in Nicotiana benthamiana by a polyethylene glycol (PEG)/salt aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). The specific activities of the crude chitinase and the partially purified chitinase from N. benthamiana were about 251 unit/mg and 386 unit/mg, respectively. The study found the 300 g/L PEG 6000 + 200 g/L potassium phosphate (PP) and 300 g/L PEG 6000 + 150 g/L sodium phosphate (SP) systems had the highest partitioning efficiency for each salt in primary extraction. However, among the two types of salt, PP displayed higher efficiency than SP, with a partitioning coefficient K of 4.85 vs. 3.89, a volume ratio V of 2.94 vs. 2.68, and a partitioning yield Y of approximately 95 % vs. 83 %. After back extraction, the enzymatic activity of purified chitinase was up to 834 unit/mg (PP) and 492 unit/mg (SP). The purification factors reached 3.32 (PP) and 1.96 (SP), with recovery yields of about 59 % and 61 %, respectively. SDS-PAGE and zymogram analysis showed that the recombinant chitinase was significantly purified by using ATPS. The purified enzyme exhibited high chitinolytic activity, with the hydrolysis zone's diameter being around 2.5 cm-3 cm. It also dramatically reduced the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii; the colony diameter after treatment with 60 unit of enzyme for 104 spores was only about 1 cm, compared to 3.5 cm in the control. The antifungal effect of chitinase suggests that this enzyme has great potential for applications in agricultural production as well as postharvest fruit and vegetable preservation.

Miscibility and ternary diagram of aqueous polyvinyl alcohols with different degrees of saponification

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), an important phenomenon in the field of polymer science and material design, plays an essential role in cells and living bodies. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a popular semicrystalline polymer utilized in the synthesis of artificial biomaterials. The aqueous solutions of its derivatives with tuned degrees of saponification (DS) exhibit LLPS. However, the miscibility and LLPS behavior of PVA aqueous solution are still unclear. This study describes the miscibility diagram of the ternary mixture, where water and two types of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with different DSs [98 (PVA98), 88 (PVA88), 82 (PVA82), and 74 mol% (PVA74)] were blended. UV-Vis measurement was conducted to evaluate the miscibility. Immiscibility was more pronounced at elevated temperatures, exhibiting LLPS. The ternary immiscibility diagram, displaying miscible-immiscible behaviors in the aqueous mixtures of PVA74:PVA98, PVA82:PVA98, and PVA88:PVA98 (blended at a constant volume ratio), indicated that increasing the concentration, temperature, and blend ratio of PVAs at a lower DS increased immiscibility, suggesting that the free energy of mixing increases with increasing these parameters. The miscible-immiscible behaviors of PVAs/water systems provide fundamental knowledge about LLPS and the design of PVA-based materials.

Upgrading of bio-separation and bioanalysis using synthetic polymers: Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), cryogels, stimuli-responsive polymers

Bio-separation plays a crucial role in many areas. Different polymers are suitable for bio-separation and are useful for applications in applications in both science and technology. Besides biopolymers, there are a broad spectrum of synthetic polymers with tailor-made properties. The synthetic polymers are characterized by their charges, solubility, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, sensitivity to environmental conditions and stability. Furthermore, ongoing developments are of great interest on biodegradable polymers for the treatment of diseases. Smart polymers have gained great attention due to their unique characteristics especially emphasizing simultaneously changing their chemical and physical property upon exposure to changes in environmental conditions. In this review, methodologies applied in bio-separation using synthetic polymers are discussed and efficient candidates are focused for the construction of synthetic polymers.

Miniaturized green sample preparation approaches for pharmaceutical analysis

The development of green sample preparation procedures is an extremely important research field in which more and more applications are constantly being proposed in different areas, including pharmaceutical analysis. This review article is aimed at providing a general overview of the development of miniaturized green analytical sample preparation procedures in the pharmaceutical analysis field, with special focus on the works published between January 2017 and July 2021. Particular attention has been paid to the application of environmentally friendly solvents and sorbents as well as nanomaterials or high extraction capacity sorbents in which the solvent volumes and reagents amounts are drastically reduced, with their subsequent advantages from the sustainability point of view.

Improving Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles by Utilizing Nanomaterials

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) as the new form of cellular communication have been demonstrated their potential use for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. EVs are vesicles with a lipid bilayer and are present in various biofluids, such as blood, saliva and urine. Therefore, EVs have emerged as one of the most appealing sources for the discovery of clinical biomarkers. However, isolation of the target EVs from different biofluids is required for the use of EVs as diagnostic and therapeutic entities in clinical settings. Owing to their unique properties and versatile functionalities, nanomaterials have been widely investigated for EV isolation with the aim to provide rapid, simple, and efficient EV enrichment. Herein, this review presents the progress of nanomaterial-based isolations for EVs over the past five years (from 2017 to 2021) and discusses the use of nanomaterials for EV isolations based on the underlying mechanism in order to offer insights into the design of nanomaterials for EV isolations.

Formation and Evaluation of a Two-Phase Polymer System in Human Plasma as a Method for Extracellular Nanovesicle Isolation

The aim of the study was to explore the polyethylene glycol-dextran two-phase polymer system formed in human plasma to isolate the exosome-enriched fraction of plasma extracellular nanovesicles (ENVs). Systematic analysis was performed to determine the optimal combination of the polymer mixture parameters (molecular mass and concentration) that resulted in phase separation. The separated phases were analyzed by nanoparticle tracking analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The isolated vesicles were characterized by atomic force microscopy and dot blotting. In conclusion, the protein and microRNA contents of the isolated ENVs were assayed by flow cytometry and by reverse transcription followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), respectively. The presented results revealed the applicability of a new method for plasma ENV isolation and further analysis with a diagnostic purpose.

Use of the aqueous biphasic system as an alternative for concentration of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs, with non-toxic separation of faecal residues and fats

OBJECTIVES

Human enteroparasites are considered a serious public health problem in underdeveloped countries located in world regions with tropical, subtropical and equatorial climates. These parasites are commonly diagnosed by the Parasitological Examination of Faeces (PEF), performed by conventional techniques and/or commercial kits that result in tests with low-to-moderate sensitivity, due to the use of destructive chemical solvents to parasite structures, and to present excess adipose substance and digestive residues in their microscopic slides. In order to improve the efficacy of these tests/examinations, this study aimed to investigate a new alternative for the PEF, with the use of Aqueous Biphasic System (ABS).

METHODS

For this, four ABSs containing poly (ethylene glycol), PEG (PEG-4000 and PEG-6000), dipotassium phosphate and sodium citrate at different concentrations in the biphasic systems were evaluated with faecal samples containing eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides.

RESULTS

The ABS consisting of PEG-4000 and dipotassium phosphate, at concentrations of 55% w/w and 20% w/w, respectively, achieved 100% satisfactory results compared to the conventional TF-Test technique in terms of preservation and concentration of A. lumbricoides eggs, with adequate separation of digestive residues, without using a centrifuge or chemical solvents that may cause harm to the parasites.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents ABS as a new low-cost technical principle for the detection of parasite eggs in PEF. The new technique is simple, fast, non-toxic, not harmful to the parasite and does not require a centrifuge.

Aqueous Two-Phase System Formation in Small Droplets by Shirasu Porous Glass Membrane Emulsification Followed by Water Extraction

By utilizing water transport phenomena between two different water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion droplets through continuous oil phase, we developed a novel method of aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) formation in small droplets prepared by Shirasu porous glass (SPG) membrane emulsification technique. When we mixed W/O emulsion droplets containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran (DEX) at concentrations below the threshold of the phase separation, with droplets containing other solutes at high concentrations, water extraction from the droplets containing PEG and DEX to those containing the other solutes occurred, owing to the osmotic pressure difference. This effect increased the concentrations of PEG and DEX in the droplets above the phase separation threshold. We demonstrated the feasibility of the preparation method by varying the pore sizes of the SPG membranes, the solutes, and their concentrations. Only when the concentration of the solute was high enough to extract sufficient amounts of water did the homogeneous disperse phase consisting of PEG and DEX in droplets turn into a PEG-rich phase and DEX-rich phase, showing ATPS. This result was irrespective of the solute itself and pore size of the SPG membrane. In particular, we successfully demonstrated monodisperse ATPS droplets with diameters of approximately 10 μm under a certain condition.

Experimental and Theoretical Validation of System Variables That Control the Position of Particles at the Interface of Immiscible Liquids

We construct a mathematical model describing the equilibrium flotation height of a spherical particle at the interface of immiscible liquids. The behavior of such a system depends on several experimentally measurable parameters, which include surface tensions, densities of all phases, and system scale. These parameters can be absorbed into three quantities that entirely determine the equilibrium position of the particle: the contact angle between the interface and particle, the Bond number, and the ratio of particle buoyant density to liquid phase densities-a new, dimensionless number that we introduce here. This experimentally convenient treatment allows us to make predictions that apply generally to the large parameter space of interesting systems. We find the model is in good agreement with experiments for particle size and interfacial tension spanning 3 orders of magnitude. We also consider the low interfacial tension case of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) theoretically and experimentally. Such systems are more sensitive to changes in density than higher-tension aqueous/organic two-phase systems; we experimentally demonstrate that a millimeter-sized bead in an ATPS can be controllably positioned with between 5.9 and 95.1% of its surface area exposed to the bottom phase, whereas the same bead in an aqueous/organic system is limited to a range of 18.2-61.6%. Finally, we discuss the potential for wettability-based control for micron length-scale particles, which are not sensitive to changes in density. Our results can be used to simply define the experimentally controllable parameters that affect the equilibrium position and the length scales of a particle over which such parameters can be effectively tuned. A complete understanding of these properties is important for a number of applications including colloidal self-assembly and chemical patterning (e.g., formation of desymmetrized or Janus particles). By considering ATPSs, we broaden the potential uses to biological applications such as cell separation and interfacial tissue assembly.

Aqueous two-phase system to isolate extracellular vesicles from urine for prostate cancer diagnosis

Analyzing extracellular vesicles (EVs) is an attractive approach to diagnosis of prostate diagnosis. However, existing methods of EVs isolation have low efficiency, purity, and long process time, and therefore have low diagnostic ability. To solve these the problems, a two-phase system is adapted to isolate EVs from a patient’s urine. Urine from 20 prostate cancer (PCA) patients and 10 benign prostate hyperplasia patients was used to quantify the EVs-isolation ability of an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) and to compare the diagnostic ability of ATPS with that of the conventional diagnosis method. An optimized ATPS isolates EVs with ~100% efficiency within ~30 min, with 14 times as high as achieved by ultracentrifugation. Afterward, PCR and ELISA are used to detect EVs derived from PCA cells in urine. The results demonstrate that diagnostic ability based on ATPS is better than other conventional diagnostic methods. ATPS can obtain a high quality and quantity of EVs from patients’ urine. EVs contain cancer-related protein and genes, so these abundant sources enable diagnosis with high specificity and sensitivity. Therefore, ATPS is a useful tool to increase the specificity and sensitivity of diagnosis.

Enrichment and Recovery of Mammalian Cells from Contaminated Cultures Using Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

This Article describes a density-based method for removing contaminants, including microorganisms and nonviable cells, from mammalian cell cultures using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). The properties of a 7% w/w polyethylene glycol (PEG)-11% w/w Ficoll ATPS can be tuned to prepare a biocompatible system that removes contaminants with little to no adverse effects on the viability or growth of the cultured cells after treatment. This system can be used to enrich cell culture populations for viable cells and to reduce the number of microorganism contaminants in a culture, which increases the chances of subsequent antibiotic treatments being successful. We test the effectiveness of our method in model contaminated cultures of both adherent (HeLa) and suspension (HL-60 II) mammalian cells contaminated with bacteria (E. coli) and yeast (S. cerevisiae). An average of 70.2 ± 4.6% of HeLa cells added to the system are subsequently recovered, and 55.9 ± 2.1% of HL-60 II cells are recovered. After sedimenting to the interface of the ATPS, these cells have an average viability of 98.0 ± 0.2% and 95.3 ± 2.2%, respectively. By removing unwanted cells, desired cell populations can be recovered, and cultures that would otherwise need to be discarded can continue to be used.

Integration of Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction as Cell Harvest and Capture Operation in the Manufacturing Process of Monoclonal Antibodies

Substantial improvements have been made to cell culturing processes (e.g., higher product titer) in recent years by raising cell densities and optimizing cultivation time. However, this has been accompanied by an increase in product-related impurities and therefore greater challenges in subsequent clarification and capture operations. Considering the paradigm shift towards the design of continuously operating dedicated plants at smaller scales—with or without disposable technology—for treating smaller patient populations due to new indications or personalized medicine approaches, the rising need for new, innovative strategies for both clarification and capture technology becomes evident. Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) is now considered to be a feasible unit operation, e.g., for the capture of monoclonal antibodies or recombinant proteins. However, most of the published work so far investigates the applicability of ATPE in antibody-manufacturing processes at the lab-scale and for the most part, only during the capture step. This work shows the integration of ATPE as a combined harvest and capture step into a downstream process. Additionally, a model is applied that allows early prediction of settler dimensions with high prediction accuracy. Finally, a reliable process development concept, which guides through the necessary steps, starting from the definition of the separation task to the final stages of integration and scale-up, is presented.

Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia using density-based fractionation of red blood cells

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a nutritional disorder that impacts over one billion people worldwide; it may cause permanent cognitive impairment in children, fatigue in adults, and suboptimal outcomes in pregnancy. IDA can be diagnosed by detection of red blood cells (RBCs) that are characteristically small (microcytic) and deficient in hemoglobin (hypochromic), typically by examining the results of a complete blood count performed by a hematology analyzer. These instruments are expensive, not portable, and require trained personnel; they are, therefore, unavailable in many low-resource settings. This paper describes a low-cost and rapid method to diagnose IDA using aqueous multiphase systems (AMPS)-thermodynamically stable mixtures of biocompatible polymers and salt that spontaneously form discrete layers having sharp steps in density. AMPS are preloaded into a microhematocrit tube and used with a drop of blood from a fingerstick. After only two minutes in a low-cost centrifuge, the tests (n = 152) were read by eye with a sensitivity of 84% (72-93%) and a specificity of 78% (68-86%), corresponding to an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89. The AMPS test outperforms diagnosis by hemoglobin alone (AUC = 0.73) and is comparable to methods used in clinics like reticulocyte hemoglobin concentration (AUC = 0.91). Standard machine learning tools were used to analyze images of the resulting tests captured by a standard desktop scanner to 1) slightly improve diagnosis of IDA-sensitivity of 90% (83-96%) and a specificity of 77% (64-87%), and 2) predict several important red blood cell parameters, such as mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. These results suggest that the use of AMPS combined with machine learning provides an approach to developing point-of-care hematology.

High-yield isolation of extracellular vesicles using aqueous two-phase system

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes and microvesicles released from cells are potential biomarkers for blood-based diagnostic applications. To exploit EVs as diagnostic biomarkers, an effective pre-analytical process is necessary. However, recent studies performed with blood-borne EVs have been hindered by the lack of effective purification strategies. In this study, an efficient EV isolation method was developed by using polyethylene glycol/dextran aqueous two phase system (ATPS). This method provides high EV recovery efficiency (~70%) in a short time (~15 min). Consequently, it can significantly increase the diagnostic applicability of EVs.

Osmotic Virial Coefficients as Access to the Protein Partitioning in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

A promising alternative to state of the art chromatographic separations of therapeutic proteins is the extraction of the target protein using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). The use of an additional salt working as a displacement agent can influence the protein partitioning behavior in ATPS and thus enable a selective purification of the target protein. The selection of a suitable ATPS for protein extraction requires information concerning the protein-protein interactions (second osmotic virial coefficient B22 ) as well as the interactions between protein and solute (displacement agent and phase-forming components) (cross virial coefficient B23 ). In this work, the partitioning behavior and the precipitation affinity of immunoglobulin G (IgG) is considered within a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-phosphate ATPS. The influence on IgG partitioning upon addition of NaCl and (NH4)2 SO4 was investigated. In order to access the IgG precipitation affinity and the IgG partitioning behavior, the B22 and B23 values were determined for several combinations of solute [PEG, phosphate buffer, NaCl, and (NH4)2 SO4 ] and IgG based on static light scattering measurements. A qualitative estimation of the IgG precipitation affinity and the suitability of a solute as potential displacement agent within the PEG-phosphate ATPS on the basis of the measured B22 and B23 values is presented.

Enhanced extraction of proteins using cholinium-based ionic liquids as phase-forming components of aqueous biphasic systems

Aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) composed of ionic liquids (ILs) are promising platforms for the extraction and purification of proteins. In this work, a series of alternative and biocompatible ABS composed of cholinium-based ILs and polypropylene glycol were investigated. The respective ternary phase diagrams, tie-lines, tie-line lengths and critical points were determined at 25°C. The extraction performance of these systems for commercial bovine serum albumin (BSA) was then evaluated. The stability of BSA at the IL-rich phase was ascertained by size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Appropriate ILs lead to the complete extraction of BSA for the IL-rich phase, in a single step, while maintaining the protein's native conformation. Furthermore, to evaluate the performance of these systems when applied to real matrices, the extraction of BSA from bovine serum was additionally carried out, revealing that the complete extraction of BSA was maintained and achieved in a single step. The remarkable extraction efficiencies obtained are far superior to those observed with typical polymer-based ABS. Therefore, the proposed ABS may be envisaged as a more effective and biocompatible approach for the separation and purification of other value-added proteins.

Enrichment of reticulocytes from whole blood using aqueous multiphase systems of polymers

This paper demonstrates the enrichment of reticulocytes by centrifuging whole blood through aqueous multiphase systems (AMPSs)-immiscible phases of solutions of polymers that form step-gradients in density. The interfaces of an AMPS concentrate cells; this concentration facilitates the extraction of blood enriched for reticulocytes. AMPS enrich reticulocytes from blood from both healthy and hemochromatosis donors. Varying the osmolality and density of the phases of AMPS provides different levels of enrichment and yield of reticulocytes. A maximum enrichment of reticulocytemia of 64 ± 3% was obtained from donors with hemochromatosis. When used on peripheral blood from normal donors, AMPS can provide a higher yield of enriched reticulocytes and a higher proportion of reticulocytes expressing CD71 than differential centrifugation followed by centrifugation over Percoll. Blood enriched for reticulocytes by AMPS could be useful for research on malaria. Several species of malaria parasites show a preference to invade young erythrocytes and reticulocytes; this preference complicates in vitro cultivation of these species in human blood. Plasmodium knowlesi malaria parasites invade normal human blood enriched for reticulocytes by AMPSs at a rate 2.2 times greater (P < 0.01) than they invade unenriched blood. Parasite invasion in normal blood enriched by AMPS was 1.8 times greater (P < 0.05) than in blood enriched to a similar reticulocytemia by differential centrifugation followed by centrifugation over Percoll. The enrichment of reticulocytes that are invaded by malaria parasites demonstrates that AMPSs can provide a label-free method to enrich cells for biological research.

Rapid RNA exchange in aqueous two-phase system and coacervate droplets

Compartmentalization in a prebiotic setting is an important aspect of early cell formation and is crucial for the development of an artificial protocell system that effectively couples genotype and phenotype. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) and complex coacervates are phase separation phenomena that lead to the selective partitioning of biomolecules and have recently been proposed as membrane-free protocell models. We show in this study through fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) microscopy that despite the ability of such systems to effectively concentrate RNA, there is a high rate of RNA exchange between phases in dextran/polyethylene glycol ATPS and ATP/poly-L-lysine coacervate droplets. In contrast to fatty acid vesicles, these systems would not allow effective segregation and consequent evolution of RNA, thus rendering these systems ineffective as model protocells.

Protein partitioning in two-phase aqueous polymer systems

Theories of protein partitioning in two-phase polymer systems which account for the effects of different aspects of system composition-such as the choice of materials, protein size, polymer molecular weight, polymer concentration, salt concentration, and affinity ligands-are reviewed. Although the present models provide some information about specific aspects of partitioning, a comprehensive and fundamental theory which can be used to predict protein partitioning behavior has not yet been developed. Some recommendations for future work are given.

Molecular dynamics simulations on aqueous two-phase systems - Single PEG-molecules in solution

Background

Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are a promising tool to generate molecular understanding of processes related to the purification of proteins. Polyethylene glycols (PEG) of various length are commonly used in the production and purification of proteins. The molecular mechanisms behind PEG driven precipitation, aqueous two-phase formation or the effects of PEGylation are however still poorly understood.

Results

In this paper, we ran MD simulations of single PEG molecules of variable length in explicitly simulated water. The resulting structures are in good agreement with experimentally determined 3D structures of PEG. The increase in surface hydrophobicity of PEG of longer chain length could be explained on an atomic scale. PEG-water interactions as well as aqueous two-phase formation in the presence of PO₄ were found to be correlated to PEG surface hydrophobicity.

Conclusions

We were able to show that the taken MD simulation approach is capable of generating both structural data as well as molecule descriptors in agreement with experimental data. Thus, we are confident of having a good in silico representation of PEG.

Purification of IgG and albumin from human plasma by aqueous two phase system fractionation

The current shortages in human plasma products at global levels justify the development of new, cost effective plasma fractionation methods. We have developed a fractionation process to obtain immunoglobulin G (IgG) and albumin-enriched fractions based on polymer-salt aqueous two phase system (ATPS). A small-scale (0.02 L) ATPS composed of polyethyleneglycol 3350 (PEG), potassium phosphate and sodium chloride, at pH 6.1, was evaluated and subjected to 50-fold scale-up (1 L). Further purification of the fractions was performed using caprylic acid precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. Similar yield and purity were obtained at both small and large scales. IgG precipitated in the PEG rich upper phase at 83% recovery and 2.75-fold purification factor. An 81% pure albumin fraction was obtained in the salt rich bottom phase with a 91% yield. After polishing, IgG was obtained at a recovery of 70% and a purity of 92%. Corresponding values for albumin were 91% and 90%. This IgG and albumin fractionation technology deserves further evaluation as it may represent a potential alternative to conventional plasma fractionation methods.

Aqueous multiphase systems of polymers and surfactants provide self-assembling step-gradients in density

This Communication demonstrates the generation of over 300 phase-separated systems-ranging from two to six phases-from mixtures of aqueous solutions of polymers and surfactants. These aqueous multiphase systems (MuPSs) form self-assembling, thermodynamically stable step-gradients in density using a common solvent, water. The steps in density between phases of a MuPS can be very small (Δρ ≈ 0.001 g/cm(3)), do not change over time, and can be tuned by the addition of co-solutes. We use two sets of similar objects, glass beads and pellets of different formulations of Nylon, to demonstrate the ability of MuPSs to separate mixtures of objects by differences in density. The stable interfaces between phases facilitate the convenient collection of species after separation. These results suggest that the stable, sharp step-gradients in density provided by MuPSs can enable new classes of fractionations and separations based on density.

Aqueous polymer two-phase systems: effective tools for plasma membrane proteomics

Plasma membranes (PMs) are of particular importance for all living cells. They form a selectively permeable barrier to the environment. Many essential tasks of PMs are carried out by their proteinaceous components, including molecular transport, cell-cell interactions, and signal transduction. Due to the key role of these proteins for cellular function, they take center-stage in basic and applied research. A major problem towards in-depth identification and characterization of PM proteins by modern proteomic approaches is their low abundance and immense heterogeneity in different cells. Highly selective and efficient purification protocols are hence essential to any PM proteome analysis. An effective tool for preparative isolation of PMs is partitioning in aqueous polymer two-phase systems. In two-phase systems, membranes are separated according to differences in surface properties rather than size and density. Despite their rare application to the fractionation of animal tissues and cells, they represent an attractive alternative to conventional fractionation protocols. Here, we review the principles of partitioning using aqueous polymer two-phase systems and compare aqueous polymer two-phase systems with other methods currently used for the isolation of PMs.

Aqueous two-phase systems for biomolecule separation

Over the past thirty years, aqueous polymer two-phase technology has evolved, both experimentally and theoretically, into a separation science with many useful applications in biomolecule purification and bioconversion. This paper summarizes the developments in the applications of aqueous two-phase systems to biotechnology. The main topics to be considered are the phase diagram and its characteristics, fundamentals of biomolecule partition, large-scale and multi-stage aqueous two-phase biomolecule purification, and extractive bioconversions. The first topic involves a discussion of the thermodynamics of aqueous polymer two-phase formation and how it is influenced by such factors as polymer molecular weight and concentration, temperature, and salt type and concentration. Next, the theoretical and experimental aspects of biomolecule partition in aqueous two-phase systems will be discussed in light of the factors which influence biomolecule partition: polymer concentration and molecular weight; temperature; salt type and concentration; the addition of charged, hydrophobic and affinity derivatives. Having reviewed the fundamentals of phase diagram formation and biomolecule partition, the next two topics are applications of aqueous two-phase technology. The first set of applications involve the large-scale extraction of proteins using one to three equilibrium stages and multi-stage purifications using countercurrent distribution, liquid-liquid partition chromatography and continuous countercurrent chromatography. The second application, and very promising area for future aqueous two-phase technology, is the extractive bioconversion which permits the simultaneous production and purification of a biomolecule.

Effect of Polymer Size and Cosolutes on Phase Separation of Poly(Vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and Dextran in Frozen Solutions

The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of the molecular weight of polymers on their miscibility in frozen solutions to model the physical properties of freeze-dried pharmaceutical formulations. Thermal analysis of frozen solutions containing poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and dextran of various molecular weights was performed at polymer concentrations below the binodal curve at room temperature. Frozen solutions containing PVP 29,000 and dextran 10,200 showed two thermal transitions (glass transition temperature of maximally freeze-concentrated solution: Tg') representing two freeze-concentrated amorphous phases, each containing predominantly one of the polymers. A combination of smaller polymers (PVP 10,000 and dextran 1,060) was freeze-concentrated into an amorphous mixture phase across a wide range of concentration ratios. Combinations of intermediate size polymers separated into two freeze-concentrated phases only at certain concentration ratios. Addition of NaCl prevented the phase separation of PVP and dextran in the aqueous and frozen solutions. Higher concentrations of NaCl were required to retain the miscibility of larger polymer combinations in the freeze-concentrate. The molecular weights of the component polymers, polymer concentration ratio, and cosolute composition are the important factors that determine component miscibility in frozen solutions.

Effect of inorganic salts on crystallization of poly(ethylene glycol) in frozen solutions

The effect of inorganic salts on eutectic crystallization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 1500-20,000 in frozen solution was studied to model the polymer and inorganic salt interaction in freeze-dried formulations. Thermal analysis of an aqueous PEG 3000 solution showed a eutectic PEG crystallization exotherm at approximately -47 degrees C and a subsequent PEG crystal melting endotherm at -14.9 degrees C. Addition of sodium chloride prevented the PEG crystallization in the freeze-concentrated solution surrounding ice crystals. Higher concentration NaCl was required to retain higher molecular weight PEG in the amorphous state. Various inorganic salts prevented the PEG crystallization to varying degrees depending mainly on the position of the anion in the Hofmeister's lyotropic series. Some salting-in and 'intermediate' salts (NaSCN, NaI, NaBr, NaCl, LiCl, KCl, and RbCl) inhibited the crystallization of PEG 7500 in frozen solutions. On the other hand, salting-out salts (NaH2PO4, Na2HPO4, Na2SO4, and NaF) did not show an apparent effect on the PEG crystallization. Some salting-out salts induced PEG crystallization in PEG and sucrose combination frozen solutions. The varying abilities of salts to prevent the PEG crystallization in frozen solutions strongly suggested that the solutes had different degrees of miscibility in the freeze-concentrates.

Affinity Two-Phase Partitioning in Acoustically Levitated Drops

Miniaturized (<1 microL) biospecific affinity two-phase partitioning in an acoustically levitated drop is described. Miniaturization commonly gives unfavorable surface/volume ratios, but in the levitation approach adsorption problems are minimized since the only surrounding wall is the liquid/air interface of the drop. Biotinylated liposomes were partitioned in aqueous poly(ethylene glycol)/dextran two-phase drops with NeutrAvidin-dextran as the affinity ligand. A two-phase drop was trapped and manipulated in a node of a standing ultrasonic wave. Alternatively, a two-phase system was formed by levitation and evaporation of a polymer one-phase drop. Phase mixing was achieved by adjusting the ultrasonic field and phase separation by readjusting the field. NeutrAvidin-dextran brought about the redistribution of biotinylated liposomes from the poly(ethylene glycol)-rich phase into the dextran-rich phase. Thus, an entire affinity two-phase separation procedure, including mixing of the phases and incubation to allow affinity interactions to develop under constant volume, followed by phase separation under controlled evaporation, can be performed in a single levitated drop. This miniaturized technique would allow the separation of biologically active membranes or organelles from individual cells for analysis.

Methods for rapid separation and concentration of bacteria in food that bypass time-consuming cultural enrichment

The rapid detection of pathogenic organisms that cause foodborne illnesses is needed to insure food safety. Conventional methods for the detection of pathogens in foods are time-consuming and labor-intensive. New advanced rapid methods (i.e., polymerase chain reaction, DNA probes) are more sensitive and selective than conventional techniques, but many of these tests are inhibited by food components, rendering them dependent on slow cultural enrichment. The need for alternative methods that will rapidly separate and concentrate bacteria directly from food samples, thereby reducing the time required for these new rapid detection techniques, is evident. Separation and concentration methods extract target bacteria from interfering food components and/or concentrate bacteria to detectable levels. This review describes several methods used to separate and/or concentrate bacteria in food samples. Several methods discussed here, including centrifugation and immunomagnetic separation, have been successfully used, individually and in combination, to rapidly separate and/or concentrate bacteria from food samples in less time than is required for cultural enrichment.