Biomolecules, biopolymers

SCIL sorbents are a rapidly emerging alternative in LC that are poised to address the critical need for novel and more universal separation strategies. These novel sorbent materials present unique potential separation capabilities applicable to a broad range of compounds (e.g., polar organics and biomolecules/biopolymers). Specific feafures of fhese sorbents which allow for this unique separation capability include the presence of a fuzzy ion with a delocalized charge which can promote interactions with neutral aromatic species, a scaffold for introducing additional functionality, and ion-exchange capability with potentially tunable hydrophobicity. 

MALDI is a soft ionization technique used for the analysis of biomolecules (biopolymers such as proteins, peptides, and sugars) and other large organic molecules, such as polymers, dendrimers, and other macromolecules, which tend to be fragile and fragment when ionized by more conventional ionization methods. It is most similar in character to ESI both in relative softness and the ions produced. 

The reactions of biopolymers at interfaces fonn tire basis of some extremely important industrial processes. The primary process in all cases is tire adsorjDtion of biomolecules, usually proteins. If ultimately living cells are adsorbed, tliis always takes place onto a preadsorbed protein layer (which may be secreted by tire cells themselves [130]). These processes can be classified into tliree categories ... 

Biomolecule Separations. Advances in chemical separation techniques such as capillary zone electrophoresis (cze) and sedimentation field flow fractionation (sfff) allow for the isolation of nanogram quantities of amino acids and proteins, as weU as the characterization of large biomolecules (63—68) (see Biopolymers, analytical techniques). The two aforementioned techniques, as weU as chromatography and centrifugation, ate all based upon the differential migration of materials. Trends in the area of separations are toward the manipulation of smaller sample volumes, more rapid purification and analysis of materials, higher resolution of complex mixtures, milder conditions, and higher recovery (69). 

Layered materials are of special interest for bio-immobilization due to the accessibility of large internal and external surface areas, potential to confine biomolecules within regularly organized interlayer spaces, and processing of colloidal dispersions for the fabrication of protein-clay films for electrochemical catalysis [83-90], These studies indicate that layered materials can serve as efficient support matrices to maintain the native structure and function of the immobilized biomolecules. Current trends in the synthesis of functional biopolymer nano composites based on layered materials (specifically layered double hydroxides) have been discussed in excellent reviews by Ruiz-Hitzky [5] and Duan [6] herein we focus specifically on the fabrication of bio-inorganic lamellar nanocomposites based on the exfoliation and ordered restacking of aminopropyl-functionalized magnesium phyllosilicate (AMP) in the presence of various biomolecules [91]. 

Ever since the beginning of life on primitive Earth, biopolymers and biomolecules have essentially comprised optically active constituents because of the natural selection of Z-amino acids and tZ-sugars. Although the origin of this biomolecular handedness is a long debated issue among biologists, chemists, physicists, and astronomers,1 5 it is accepted that our life is a consequence of the chemistry of homochiral biosubstances. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a classic example of a chiral biopolymer. Its chirality is essentially characterized... 

The three major classes of biopolymers found in eukaryotic systems are nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides. The latter class is the most complex with respect to structural and stereochemical diversity. Polysaccharides indeed possess a massive information content. Furthermore, polysaccharides are commonly found in nature covalently attached (conjugated) to other biomolecules such as proteins, isoprenoids, fatty acids, and lipids.1... 

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