Size-exclusion chromatography peak position

Three gradients of 0.0-0.5 M sodium chloride were run consecutively at 4°C in 0.05 M sodium acetate-acetic acid, 1 mM sodium azide, pH 5.25, followed by 0.05 M sodium acetate-acetic acid, 1 mM sodium azide, pH 3.5, and finally by 0.05 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate-disodium hydrogen phosphate (approx. 1 3), 1 mM sodium azide, pH 7.0. After sample application, the column was washed with the starting buffer to remove any non-bound compounds. Elution was continued with the high salt buffer. Fractions of 4 ml were collected and assayed for reactivity towards ninhydrin and for electric conductivity (salt concentration) after 75-fold dilution of a 100-pl aliquot. Ninhydrin-positive fractions were pooled for each peak, concentrated, and desalted by size exclusion chromatography (see above). 

Slow exchange may lead to extremely broad polydispersities and often to polymodal MWDs. It is recommended to study the evolution of molecular weights with conversion and especially the proportion and position of various peaks in the MWD by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Use of scavengers is helpful in the identification of the origin of peaks in SEC (MWD) traces. For example, salts with common ions suppress free ions and reduce the intensity of peaks formed by free ions. Hindered pyridines trap protons and reduce peaks resulting from protonic initiation, especially in systems with adventitious moisture. Apparently, stability of complex anions MtX +, and MtX OH can be different and slow exchange may lead to polymodal MWD. 

Fig. 32 (a) Representative size exclusion chromatography traces of samples for star PMMA with a linear core at different number of passes indicated in the legend. The dashed line represents the peak position of the original star molecules and the dotted line represents that of the arms, (b) Peak molecular weight of the degraded star molecules (solid symbols) and arms (open symbols). Square and circular symbols denote fused core and linear core, respectively. (Adopted with permission from Xue et al. [228]. Copyright 2005 American Chemical Society)... 

Size exclusion chromatography and gel or capillary electrophoresis are methods that separate protein molecules based on size (or size and charge). In these methods, the protein sample travels down the column, gel slab, or capillary and, for a pure protein, should exit as a single peak traveling past the detector. Denatured proteins should appear to have a larger hydrodynamic radius and should travel more slowly. If the kinetics of interconversion of the native and unfolded species is slower than the time needed to travel through the column (gel or capillary), then it is possible to detect individual peaks for the native and unfolded species. If the interconversion is rapid, a kinetically averaged peak position will be observed. 

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