Microscopic insight into role of protein flexibility during ion exchange chromatography by nuclear magnetic resonance and quartz crystal microbalance approaches

Single-Molecule Dynamics Reflect IgG Conformational Changes Associated with Ion-Exchange Chromatography

Conformational changes of antibodies and other biologics can decrease the effectiveness of pharmaceutical separations. Hence, a detailed mechanistic picture of antibody-stationary phase interactions that occur during ion-exchange chromatography (IEX) can provide critical insights. This work examines antibody conformational changes and how they perturb antibody motion and affect ensemble elution profiles. We combine IEX, three-dimensional single-protein tracking, and circular dichroism spectroscopy to investigate conformational changes of a model antibody, immunoglobulin G (IgG), as it interacts with the stationary phase as a function of salt conditions. The results indicate that the absence of salt enhances electrostatic attraction between IgG and the stationary phase, promotes surface-induced unfolding, slows IgG motion, and decreases elution from the column. Our results reveal previously unreported details of antibody structural changes and their influence on macroscale elution profiles.

Tetrasulfonate calix[4]arene modified large pore mesoporous silica microspheres: Synthesis, characterization, and application in protein separation

Effective protein adsorption by solid matrices from complex biological samples has attracted attention for broad application in biomedical field. Immobilization of calixarenes to solid supports is an essential process for their application in protein separation and purification. Silica is the most widely used support material in calixarene immobilization. With high concentration of polymer microspheres as templates, the large pore mesoporous silica microspheres with controllable, uniform size and structure were successfully synthesized and the resulting large pore mesoporous silica microspheres were modified with water-soluble tetrasulfonate calix[4]arene of unique hollow cavity-shaped structure. The tetrasulfonate calix[4]arene modified large pore mesoporous silica microspheres (SCLX4@LPMS) were characterized by diverse analytical techniques and their protein adsorption performance were also investigated. The obtained SCLX4@LPMS gave rise to an adsorption efficiency of >90% for cytochrome c and lysozyme within a wide pH range of 3.0-10.0 and possessed remarkably high adsorption capacity of cytochrome c (363.64 mg g^-1) and lysozyme (166.11 mg g^-1). The retained cytochrome c and lysozyme can be readily eluted by using phosphate buffer solution containing NaCl as a stripping reagent with the recoveries of 81% and 86% after 5 times enrichment, respectively. The SCLX4@LPMS microspheres have been applied for the selective adsorption of proteins in real samples and had the application potential in protein adsorption, drug delivery, biosensors, and other biomedical fields.

Impact of the isoelectric point of model parvoviruses on viral retention in anion-exchange chromatography

Anion-exchange chromatography (AEX) is used in the downstream purification of monoclonal antibodies to remove impurities and potential viral contamination based on electrostatic interactions. Although the isoelectric point (pI) of viruses is considered a key factor predicting the virus adsorption to the resin, the precise molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. To address this question, we compared structurally homologous parvoviruses that only differ in their surface charge distribution. A single charged amino acid substitution on the capsid surface of minute virus of mice (MVM) provoked an increased apparent pI (pI_app ) 6.2 compared to wild-type MVM (pI_app  = 4.5), as determined by chromatofocusing. Despite their radically different pI_app , both viruses displayed the same interaction profile in Mono Q AEX at different pH conditions. In contrast, the closely related canine parvovirus (pI_app  = 5.3) displayed a significantly different interaction at pH 5. The detailed structural analysis of the intricate three-dimensional structure of the capsids suggests that the charge distribution is critical, and more relevant than the pI, in controlling the interaction of a virus with the chromatographic resin. This study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing virus clearance by AEX, which is crucial to enable robust process design and maximize safety.

Microcalorimetric Analysis of the Adsorption of Lysozyme and Cytochrome c onto Cation-Exchange Chromatography Resins: Influence of Temperature on Retention

We studied the adsorption mechanism of two basic proteins, equine cytochrome c (Cyt) and chicken egg-white lysozyme (Lys), adsorbing onto negatively charged chromatography surfaces. In liquid chromatography, the retention volume of Lys was larger than that of Cyt on negatively charged ion-exchange resins. When the temperature increased, the retention volume of Cyt increased, whereas that of Lys clearly decreased. Both Lys and Cyt share similar physical characteristics, so the opposite behavior with increasing temperatures was surprising, indicating a more complex mechanism of adsorption may be involved. We analyzed the adsorption of these proteins by using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The change in adsorption enthalpy determined by ITC allowed the understanding of the reason for and underlying driving forces of protein adsorption that resulted in this opposite behavior. Large exothermic enthalpies of adsorption were observed for Lys (-43.95 kJ/mol), and Lys adsorption was found to be enthalpically driven. On the other hand, endothermic enthalpies were dominant for Cyt adsorption (32.41 kJ/mol), which was entropically driven. These results indicate that dehydration and release of counterions play a more important role in Cyt adsorption and ionic interaction and hydrogen bridges are more significant in Lys adsorption. Understanding of the adsorption mechanism of proteins onto chromatography resins is essential for modeling and developing new, efficient chromatographic processes.