Separation of pectin methylesterases and polygalacturonases on monolithic columns

The most abundant isoforms of tomato pectin methylesterase (PME; EC 3.1.1.11; M(r) 26 kDa), polygalacturonase (PG; EC 3.2.1.15; PG1 with M(r) 82 kDa) and a basic protein with M(r) 42 kDa and unknown function were isolated from fresh tomato fruit by a fast chromatographic procedure on a Convective Interaction Media (CIM) short monolithic disk column bearing carboxymethyl (CM) groups. The extraction of the targeted enzymes with 1.2M NaCl solution was followed by precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 60% of saturation, solubilisation of the pellet in 0.5M NaCl and fractionation using a linear gradient from 0 to 700 mM NaCl. Among six fractions five had PME activity and four had PG activity, while one fraction containing a pure protein with M(r) 42 kDa with neither of these activities. Two concentrated fractions, one with PG and one with PME were further purified. A linear gradient from 0 to 500 mM NaCl with 20% CH(3)CN in the mobile phase was used for the PG fraction and two CM disks and a linear gradient from 0 to 200 mM NaCl were used for the PME fraction as a greater capacity was necessary in this case. From 4 kg of fresh tomato flesh we obtained 22 mg of purified PME, 1.8 mg of purified, active PG1, 13.5mg of additional basic protein and a fraction with PG2 contaminated by a PME isoform. Carboxymethyl CIM disk short monolithic columns are convenient for semi-preparative and analytical work with tomato fruit pectolytic enzymes.

Pore structural characterization of monolithic silica columns by inverse size-exclusion chromatography

In this work, a parallel pore model (PPM) and a pore network model (PNM) are developed to provide a state-of-art method for the calculation of several characteristic pore structural parameters from inverse size-exclusion chromatography (ISEC) experiments. The proposed PPM and PNM could be applicable to both monoliths and columns packed with porous particles. The PPM and PNM proposed in this work are able to predict the existence of the second inflection point in the experimental exclusion curve that has been observed for monolithic materials by accounting for volume partitioning of the polymer standards in the macropores of the column. The appearance and prominence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curve is determined to depend strongly on the void fraction of the macropores (flow-through pores), (b) the nominal diameter of the macropores, and (c) the radius of gyration of the largest polymer standard employed in the determination of the experimental ISEC exclusion curve. The conditions that dictate the appearance and prominence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curve are presented. The proposed models are applied to experimentally measured ISEC exclusion curves of six silica monoliths having different macropore and mesopore diameters. The PPM and PNM proposed in this work are able to determine the void fractions of the macropores and silica skeleton, the pore connectivity of the mesopores, as well as the pore number distribution (PND) and pore volume distribution (PVD) of the mesopores. The results indicate that the mesoporous structure of all materials studied is well connected as evidenced by the similarities between the PVDs calculated with the PPM and the PNM, and by the high pore connectivity values obtained from the PNM. Due to the fact that the proposed models can predict the existence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curves, the proposed models could be more applicable than other models for ISEC characterization of chromatographic columns with small diameter macropores (interstitial pores) and/or large macropore (interstitial pore) void fractions. It should be noted that the PNM can always be applied without the use of the PPM, since the PPM is an idealization that considers an infinitely connected porous medium and for materials having a low (<6) pore connectivity the PPM would force the PVD to a lower average diameter and larger distribution width as opposed to properly accounting for the network effects present in the real porous medium.

Hydroxymethyl methacrylate-based monolithic columns designed for separation of oligonucleotides in hydrophilic-interaction capillary liquid chromatography

Hydroxymethyl methacrylate-based monolithic columns for separation of oligonucleotides by capillary liquid chromatography (CLC) were prepared. We optimized composition of the polymerization mixture, which contained the monomer mixture consisting of N-(hydroxymethyl) methacrylamide (HMMAA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA), and the porogenic system composed of propane-1-ol, butane-1,4-diol and alpha, alpha'-azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. Separations of oligonucleotides were performed in HILIC (hydrophilic-interaction) mode using 100 mM triethylamine acetate (TEAA) in acetonitrile and in water as eluents. The influence of steepness of the mobile phase gradient on separation of the oligonucleotides was evaluated as well as the reproducibility of HMMAA monolith preparation.

Metathesis polymerization-derived monolithic membranes for solid-phase extraction coupled with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

Novel monolithic disks were prepared via ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) from norborn-2-ene (NBE), a crosslinker, i.e., 1,4,5,8,8a-hexahydro-1,4,4,5,8, exo, endo-dimethanonaphthalene (DMN-H6) and tris(norborn-5-ene-2-ylmethylenoxy)methylsilane, respectively, 2-propanol and toluene (25:25:41:9, all %, w/w) using RuCl2(PCy3)2(CHPh) (Cy=cyclohexyl) as initiator and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) as modulator. Disks 1-2 mm thick were prepared by polymerization in a mold, disks thinner than 1mm were prepared by impregnation of nylon or other porous filters prior to the polymerization step. These disks were evaluated for the preconcentration of iodine and selected organic solutes from dilute aqueous samples by solid-phase extraction (SPE). Quantitative measurement of the extracted solutes was achieved by diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) directly on the surface of the disk.

Separation of pectin methylesterase isoenzymes from tomato fruits using short monolithic columns

One of the main forms of tomato pectin methylesterase (PME; EC 3.1.1.1.1) that is applicable to the food industry was isolated from fresh tomato fruit. The extraction of the PME isoenzymes involved washing the fresh tomato flesh with water in order to remove sugars and than solubilizing the enzymes with a diluted HCl solution at pH 1.6. The extract was then neutralized to pH 7.4 using buffer solution. After filtration, the solution was directly fractioned using Convective Interaction Media (CIM) short monolithic disk column bearing sulfonyl (SO3) groups and using a linear gradient from 0 to 700 mM NaCl. The injection volume was 3 ml and the diameter of the column was 12 mm and length 3 mm. The isolated fractions were monitored for protein content and PME activity. The fraction with the targeted enzyme, which showed NaCl independent activity, was further purified and concentrated by ultrafiltration and finally purified by a second semi-preparative cation-exchange chromatography step using a CIM carboxymethyl (CM) disk monolithic column consisting of two disks and applying a step gradient. From 1 kg of fresh tomato fruits, 7.5 mg of purified PME with molecular mass estimated to be 26 000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was obtained. A fraction with mixed PME and polygalacturonase activity was also obtained. Compared to the published procedures for the isolation and purification of PME from plant materials, this new procedure is much faster and more efficient. The potential application of CIM disk short monolithic columns in the analysis and semi-preparative extraction and isolation of the PME isoenzyme is presented.

Convective Interaction Media (CIM)--short layer monolithic chromatographic stationary phases

Modern downstream processing requires fast and highly effective methods to obtain large quantities of highly pure substances. Commonly applied method for this purpose is chromatography. However, its main drawback is its throughput since purification, especially of large molecules, requires long process time. To overcome this problem several new stationary phases were introduced, among which short layer monoliths show superior properties for many applications. The purpose of this review is to give an overview about short methacrylate monolithic columns commercialised under the trademark Convective Interaction Media (CIM). Their unique properties are described from different perspectives, explaining reasons for their application on various areas. Approaches to prepare large volume methacrylate monolithic column are discussed and optimal solutions are given. Different examples of CIM monolithic column implementation are summarised in the last part of the article to give the reader an idea about their advantages.

Characterization of methacrylate monoliths for purification of DNA molecules

The suitability of methacrylate based anion exchange monolithic supports for the separation and purification of plasmid and genomic DNA has been explored. The effect of the size of the channels, ionic strength of the solution, and ligand density on the dynamic binding capacity has been investigated. The dynamic binding capacity was found to be flow independent, at least up to a linear velocity of 700 cm h(-1), and exceeded 9 mg mL(-1) for all types of DNA. The recovery depends on the pH value of the mobile phase and its ionic strength as well as on the density of the active groups. Under optimal conditions recoveries exceeding 80% were obtained even for genomic DNA. Finally, the suitability of this approach is demonstrated by purification of a real-life sample.

Characterization of CIM monoliths as enzyme reactors

The immobilization of the enzymes citrate lyase, malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase to CIM monolithic supports was performed. The long-term stability, reproducibility, and linear response range of the immobilized enzyme reactors were investigated along with the determination of the kinetic behavior of the enzymes immobilized on the CIM monoliths. The Michaelis-Menten constant K(m) and the turnover number k(3) of the immobilized enzymes were found to be flow-unaffected. Furthermore, the K(m) values of the soluble and immobilized enzyme were found to be comparable. Both facts indicate the absence of a diffusional limitation in immobilized CIM enzyme reactors.

Silica gel-based monoliths prepared by the sol-gel method: facts and figures

There is a great deal of interest in continuous beds as stationary phases for both HPLC and CEC. There are various ways to prepare monoliths, by polymerization of organic species or by polymerization of silicon alkoxides. The former method has recently been reviewed, while silica based monoliths are now commercially available. The purpose of this paper is to deal with the problems associated with silica based monoliths. The most important problem is obviously the cracking and the shrinkage of the bed during drying. The second problem is monolith cladding. Much literature has been published but no definitive solution is available and thus a wide research area remains open. Monoliths are a compromise between loadability, permeability and mass transfer kinetics. Due to the better mass transfer properties of a monolithic skeleton over distinct particles, high flow rates and high speed separations are possible.

Short monolithic columns as stationary phases for biochromatography

Monolithic supports represent a novel type of stationary phases for liquid and gas chromatography, for capillary electrochromatography, and as supports for bioconversion and solid phase synthesis. As opposed to individual particles packed into chromatographic columns, monolithic supports are cast as continuous homogeneous phases. They represent an approach that provides high rates of mass transfer at lower pressure drops as well as high efficiencies even at elevated flow rates. Therefore, much faster separations are possible and the productivity of chromatographic processes can be increased by at least one order of magnitude as compared to traditional chromatographic columns packed with porous particles. Besides the speed, the nature of the pores allows easy access even in the case of large molecules, which make monolithic supports a method of choice for the separation of nanoparticles like pDNA and viruses. Finally, for the optimal purification of larger biomolecules, the chromatographic column needs to be short. This enhances the speed of the separation process and reduces backpressure, unspecific binding, product degradation and minor changes in the structure of the biomolecule, without sacrificing resolution. Short Monolithic Columns (SMC) were engineered to combine both features and have the potential of becoming the method of choice for the purification of larger biomolecules and nanopartides on the semi-preparative scale.