Anion exchange chromatography of 4.2kbp plasmid based vaccine (pcDNA3F) from alkaline lysed E. coli lysate using amino functionalised polymethacrylate conical monolith

Cryogels and Monoliths: Promising Tools for Chromatographic Purification of Nucleic Acids

The increasing demand for highly pure biopharmaceuticals has put significant pressure on the biotechnological industry to innovate in production and purification processes. Nucleic acid purification, crucial for gene therapy and vaccine production, presents challenges due to the unique physical and chemical properties of these molecules. Meeting regulatory standards necessitates large quantities of biotherapeutic agents of high purity. While conventional chromatography offers versatility and efficiency, it suffers from drawbacks like low flow rates and binding capacity, as well as high mass transfer resistance. Recent advancements in continuous beds, including monoliths and cryogel-based systems, have emerged as promising solutions to overcome these limitations. This review explores and evaluates the latest progress in chromatography utilizing monolithic and cryogenic supports for nucleic acid purification.

On the performance of conically shaped columns: Theory and practice

The chromatographic performance (speed, efficiency, and gradient peak capacity for the same analysis time) of conical columns are investigated from fundamental and experimental viewpoints. A stainless steel, conically shaped column (2.1 mm i.d/4.2 mm i.d. × 15 cm long, 0.4° opening angle) was prepared in-house and packed with 5 μm XBridge-C₁₈ fully porous particles. Its performance was compared to that of a conventional 3.0 mm × 15 cm cylindrical column packed with the same batch of particles. Both Giddings' theory of non-uniform columns and experiments agree and show that, irrespective of flow direction, the conical column is 15% less efficient than the conventional column. Remarkably, Blumberg's theory of band broadening in gradient elution mode predicts that conical columns may outperform conventional cylindrical columns if the ratio of their outlet i.d. to their inlet i.d. is 0.95 and 0.80 for small molecule and peptide mixtures, respectively. The maximum relative gain is marginal as it does not exceed a few percents. The theory reveals that the flow direction should be from the wide to the narrow end of the conical column in order to deliver the highest peak capacity. In agreement with the theory, the observed losses in absolute peak capacity for the same analysis time are 14.5% (narrow to wide end) and only 11.0% (wide to the narrow end) for small molecules (n-alkanophenones). They are 14.2% (narrow to wide end) and only 8.5% (wide to the narrow end) for peptide samples (bombesin). Additionally, conical columns reduce peak tailing with respect to standard columns. They are suitable column technology for ultra-fast gradient separations as they also minimize sample dispersion through the narrow i.d. outlet frit.

Development and characteristics of polymer monoliths for advanced LC bioscreening applications: A review

Biomedical research advances over the past two decades in bioseparation science and engineering have led to the development of new adsorbent systems called monoliths, mostly as stationary supports for liquid chromatography (LC) applications. They are acknowledged to offer better mass transfer hydrodynamics than their particulate counterparts. Also, their architectural and morphological traits can be tailored in situ to meet the hydrodynamic size of molecules which include proteins, pDNA, cells and viral targets. This has enabled their development for a plethora of enhanced bioscreening applications including biosensing, biomolecular purification, concentration and separation, achieved through the introduction of specific functional moieties or ligands (such as triethylamine, N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylamine, antibodies, enzymes and aptamers) into the molecular architecture of monoliths. Notwithstanding, the application of monoliths presents major material and bioprocess challenges. The relationship between in-process polymerisation characteristics and the physicochemical properties of monolith is critical to optimise chromatographic performance. There is also a need to develop theoretical models for non-invasive analyses and predictions. This review article therefore discusses in-process analytical conditions, functionalisation chemistries and ligands relevant to establish the characteristics of monoliths in order to facilitate a wide range of enhanced bioscreening applications. It gives emphasis to the development of functional polymethacrylate monoliths for microfluidic and preparative scale bio-applications.