Chromatography of membrane proteins in Triton-X 100. III) Ion exchange chromatography of Con-A positive and negative membrane proteins. Methods

The Authors describe the method they have elaborated to adapt chromatographic techniques to separate membrane protein according to their electric charge.     

Chromatography of membrane proteins in Triton-X 100. II) Affinity chromatography of membrane proteins on Con-A linked to Sepharose in Triton-X 100

The Authors have made chromatographs using Con-A Sefaroso columns, varying the percent of Triton-X 100 and the proteic concentration. With proteic concentrations varying from 0.4 to 4mg/ml and in solutions containing 0.5 to 1% of Triton-X 100 with the pH value remaining constant at 8 - solubilization of membrane protein does occur.     

Chromatography of membrane proteins in Triton-X 100. I) Solubilization of membrane proteins in Triton-X 100

In their study of the chemical and physical characteristics of membrane protein, the Authors have directed their attention to Triton-X 100. The hypothesis is that this detergent would have two antagonistic effects: on the one hand it would delimit the membrane fostering the formation of unstable complexes, on the other it would establish unstable intermediate complexes fostering the formation of soluble proteic complexes.     

Ion exchange chromatography of antibody fragments

Effects of pH and conductivity on the ion exchange chromatographic purification of an antigen-binding antibody fragment (Fab) of pI 8.0 were investigated. Normal sulfopropyl (SP) group modified agarose particles (SP Sepharosetrade mark Fast Flow) and dextran modified particles (SP Sepharose XL) were studied. Chromatographic measurements including adsorption isotherms and dynamic breakthrough binding capacities, were complemented with laser scanning confocal microscopy. As expected static equilibrium and dynamic binding capacities were generally reduced by increasing mobile phase conductivity (1-25 mS/cm). However at pH 4 on SP Sepharose XL, Fab dynamic binding capacity increased from 130 to 160 (mg/mL media) as mobile phase conductivity changed from 1 to 5 mS/cm. Decreasing protein net charge by increasing pH from 4 to 5 at 1.3 mS/cm caused dynamic binding capacity to increase from 130 to 180 mg/mL. Confocal scanning laser microscopy studies indicate such increases were due to faster intra-particle mass transport and hence greater utilization of the media's available binding capacity. Such results are in agreement with recent studies related to ion exchange of whole antibody molecules under similar conditions.     

Ion selectivity of aqueous leaks induced in the erythrocyte membrane by crosslinking of membrane proteins

The aqueous leak induced in the human erythrocyte membrane by crosslinking of spectrin via disulfide bridges formed in the presence of diamide (Deuticke, B., Poser, B., Lütkemeier, P. and Haest, C.W.M. (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 731, 196-210) was further characterized with respect to its ion selectivity by means of (a) measurements of cell volume changes or hemolysis, (b) determination of membrane potentials and (c) analysis of potential-driven ion fluxes. The leak turned out to be slightly cation-selective (PK:PCl approximately equal to 4:1). It discriminates mono- from divalent ions (PNa:PMg greater than 100:1, PCl:PSO4 greater than 10:1) and to a much lesser extent monovalent ions among each other. The selectivities for monovalent ions follow the sequence of free solution mobilities, increasing in the order Li+ less than or equal to Na+ less than K+ less than or equal to Rb+ less than Cs+ and F- less than Cl- less than Br- less than I-. Polyatomic anions also fit into that order. Quantitatively, the ratios of permeabilities of the leak are larger than those of the ion mobilities in free solution. The ion permeability of the leak is concentration-independent up to at least 150 mM. The ion milieu, however, has marked effects on leak permeability, most pronounced for chaotropic ions (guanidinium, nitrate, thiocyanate), which increase leak fluxes of charged and uncharged solutes. The results support the view that, besides geometric constraints, weak coulombic or dipolar interactions between penetrating ions and structural elements of the leak determine permselectivity.     

Ion exchange chromatography of proteins-prediction of elution curves and operating conditions. I. Theoretical considerations

A mathematical model is proposed for the elution of proteins on ion exchange columns by a linear gradient increase and stepwise increase of ionic strength in order to predict relationships between the elution characteristics (the peak position, the peak width, etc.) and the operating conditions (the flow rate, the slope of gradient, etc). This model is in principle based on the continuous-flow plate theory, in which the protein concentration and ionic strength dependent distibution coefficient between proteins and ion exchangers and zone sperading effects are taken into consideration. The advantage of this model is its simplicity since it requires only two parameters: The distribution coefficient and the number of plates. Since the distribution coefficient of proteins depends on both the protein concentration and ionic strength of the elution buffer, the number of plates should vary with time. However, it is extremely difficult to take into consideration the time-dependent number of plates. Therefore, we assume that the number of plates is constant and related to that number derived from a mass balance model which includes longitudinal dispersion and gel phase diffusion. On the basis of these assumptions, a method for determining the number of plates by the moment method is presented. Although the dependencies of the peak position and peak width on the slope of linear gradient are predictable by numerical calculations of the present model, simpler methods for prediction of these dependencies are desirable. A graphical method is proposed for prediction of the peak position. For prediction of the peak width, an asymptotic solution is derived from a quasi-steady-state model.     

Ion exchange chromatography of proteins-predictions of elution curves and operating conditions. II. Experimental verification

The applicability and validity of the model developed in Part I were confirmed experimentally. In this article, various proteins were eluted both by stepwise and linear gradient elution on DEAE ion exchangers under a variety of experimental conditions. Adsorption isotherms were measured as a function of ionic strength in batch experiments. The moment method was empolyed for the determination of various parameteres such as the gel-phase diffusion coefficient and the longitudinal dispersion coefficient. By use of these parameters and the experimentally measured ionic strength of the peak position, the number opf plates was determined according to the method described in Part I. Theoretical elution curves were calculated with the experimentally measured adsorption eqluilibria and the number of plates. Good agreement was observed between theory an experiments. Various factors affecting the separation were investigated. It was found that the effect of the number of plates for salts, N'(p), was negligible except the case of stepwise elution of high ionic strength buffer. When elution curves were symmetrical, the widths of the elution curves were inversely proportional to the square root of the number of plates of proteins, N(p), as in other chromatographic techniques. A simple graphical method for prediction of the peak position in linear gradient elution described in Part I was found applicable when the elution curves were symmetrical. A useful correlation of prediction of the peak width in a linear gradient elution was proposed on the basis of the approximate solution derived in Part I of this study. This graphical method and correlation permit easy prediction of the peak position and peak width in linear gradient elution in the case of symmetrical elution curves.     

Matrix assisted refolding of proteins by ion exchange chromatography

Two different approaches of matrix assisted refolding have been evaluated and compared to conventional refolding by dilution. Bovine alpha-lactalbumin was used for the studies as model protein. It was adsorbed under denaturing conditions on an ion exchange matrix and refolding was completed on the column prior to elution or, depending on the buffer system, in the eluate. Agarose based chromatography matrices showed high capacities for the denatured alpha-lactalbumin. A positive effect on the yield of refolded protein by the matrix could be observed for Fractogel EMD DEAE and a negative for Toyopearl DEAE 650M, DEAE Sepharose FF and Q Sepharose FF. In the case of Fractogel EMD DEAE the ion exchange surface might act as a folding helper. This property may be caused by the grafted polymers. For Source 30Q only a marginal negative influence on the refolding kinetics was observed, thus the ion exchanger is only a mean for removal of chaotropic agents. Refolding on the column is characterized by a low yield but high productivity due to significant reduction of refolding time.     

Aging of the erythrocyte. IV. Spin-label studies of membrane lipids, proteins and permeability

Spin-label studies demonstrated age-related alterations of the erythrocyte membrane concerning both lipid and protein components. Decrease in fluidity of membrane lipids correlated with decreased membrane permeability to a hydrophobic spin label TEMPO, permeability to a more hydrophilic TEMPOL being less affected. The rigidification of membrane lipids was much more pronounced in whole membranes than in liposomes composed of membrane lipids, suggesting changes in lipid-protein interactions as an important factor in the decrease of lipid fluidity in aged red cells. ESR spectra of membrane-bound maleimide spin label evidenced alterations in the state of membrane proteins during cell aging in vivo.