Sephadex protein separations

Figure 4. Calculated elution profile to simulate a protein separation on Sephadex G-7S using equation (12). This simulation is based on parameter values for a 30 x 1.5 cm column with a flowrate of 1.77 ml/min and a longitudinal diffusivity of 0.01 cm2/min. The ratio of mobile phase volume to pore volume was 0.9, and the sample volume was 0.17 ml. Capacity factors for each of the solutes are 0, 0.5, and 1.1, respectively.

The gel-like, bead nature of wet Sephadex enables small molecules such as inorganic salts to diffuse freely into it while, at the same time, protein molecules are unable to do so. Hence, passage through a Sephadex column can be used for complete removal of salts from protein solutions. Polysaccharides can be freed from monosaccharides and other small molecules because of their differential retardation. Similarly, amino acids can be separated from proteins and large peptides. 

Size exclusion was first noted in the late fifties when separations of proteins on columns packed with swollen maize starch were observed (Lindqvist and Storgards, 1955 Lathe and Ruthven, 1956). The run time was typically 48 hr. With the advent of a commercial material for size separation of molecules, a gel of cross-linked dextran, researchers were given a purposely made material for size exclusion, or gel filtration, of solutes as described in the classical work by Porath and Flodin (1959). The material, named Sephadex, was made available commercially by Pharmacia in 1959. This promoted a rapid development of the technique and it was soon applied to the separation of proteins and aqueous polymers. The work by Porath and Flodin promoted Moore (1964) to apply the technique to size separation, gel permeation chromatography of organic molecules on gels of lightly cross-linked polystyrene (i.e., Styragel). 

Purified LBP is obtained from the crude LBP separated in the gel filtration of the 35 kDa luciferase on Sephadex G-100 (see Fig. 8.2). The fractions of crude LBP are combined and the protein is precipitated with ammonium sulfate (75% saturation). The precipitate is dissolved in a small volume of lOmM Tris-HCl/5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, pH 8, and a small amount of luciferin is added as a tracer. Then, the crude LBP is purified on a column of Sephadex G-200 (Hastings and Dunlap, 1986). The fractions of LBP are identified by luminescence produced by the addition of luciferase at pH 6.3 the luminescence due to the tracer luciferin is proportional to the amount of LBP in each fraction. 

In the solid phase type of separation the antibody or binding protein is bound to an inert material such as Sephadex or glass beads yet is still free to react with the ligand. 

Separate modified protein from unreacted SATA and reaction by-products by dialysis against 50 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.5, containing ImM EDTA or by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-25 column (Pharmacia) using the same buffer. 

Quench the reaction by immediate gel filtration using a column of Sephadex G-25 (Pharmacia). Equilibrate the column and perform the chromatography using 0.2M sodium borate, pH 9.0, so that the protein will be at the proper pH for the reduction step. After the separation, a determination of the modification level may be done by measuring its absorbance at 428 nm. 

Figure 19.18 Carrier proteins may be activated with sulfo-SMCC to produce maleimide derivatives reactive with sulfhydryl-containing molecules. The graphs show the gel filtration separation on Sephadex G-25 of male-imide-activated BSA (A) and OVA (B) after reaction with sulfo-SMCC. The first peak is the protein and the second peak is excess crosslinker. The maleimide groups create increased absorbance at 280 nm in the activated proteins.

The modified liposomes may be separated from excess protein by gel filtration using Sephadex G-75 or by centrifugal floatation in a polymer gradient (Derksen and Scherphof, 1985). 

By means of gel electrophoresis on cross-linked, hydrolyzed starch,99 with simultaneous checking for proteins, lipids, and pectinesterase activity, it was found, however, that the product isolated after the separation on CM-Sephadex C-50 constitutes but one of five multiple forms of tomato pectinesterase, and is the one present in preponderant proportion98 (see Fig. 4). The accompanying lipid and sugar components were separated from this pectinesterase form in the course of the purification procedure. After analysis of the hydro-lyzate of the final product for fatty acids, as well as for carbohydrate components, it was possible to exclude the possibility of a lipoprotein,30 as well as glycoprotein,100 character of this form of tomato pectinesterase. 

After dissociation of the 70 S ribosome into its two subunits followed by zonal centrifugation for the separation and isolation of the 30 S and 50 S subunits on a preparative scale, the ribosomal proteins were extracted by acetic acid and then separated by cellulose ion exchange chromatography and by gel filtration on Sephadex in the presence of 6 M urea. In this way all the 53 individual ribosomal proteins have been isolated (Wittmann, 1974). Proteins prepared in this manner have been used for physical studies (Brimacombe et al., 1978 Wittmann, 1982) as well as for immunological investigations (Stoffler et al., 1980 Lake,... 

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