One-pot glyco-affinity precipitation purification for enhanced proteomics: the flexible alignment of solution-phase capture/release and solid-phase separation

A one-pot affinity precipitation purification of carbohydrate-binding protein was demonstrated by designing thermally responsive glyco-polypeptide polymers, which were synthesized by selective coupling of pendant carbohydrate groups to a recombinant elastin-like triblock protein copolymer (ELP). The thermally driven inverse transition temperature of the ELP-based triblock polymer is maintained upon incorporation of carbohydrate ligands, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and (1)H NMR spectroscopy experiments. As a test system, lactose derivatized ELP was used to selectively purify a galactose-specific binding lectin through simple temperature-triggered precipitation in a high level of efficiency. Potential opportunities might be provided for enhanced proteomic, cell isolation as well as pathogen detection applications.