Affinity chromatography: purification of bovine trypsin and thrombin

Bovine trypsin has been purified by affinity chromatography on agarose beads containing covalently bound p-aminophenylguanidine, p-aminobenzamidine, or m-aminobenzamidine. Bovine thrombin was purified on a m-aminobenzamidine-agarose column containing a high concentration of the inhibitor. The values of the inhibition constant, K_i, for these inhibitors were determined for both enzymes and found to be 5–10 times poorer for thrombin than for trypsin. Only those benzamidines with low K_i values and coupled in high concentration to the agarose matrix were satisfactory for thrombin purification. Affinity-purified trypsin and thrombin were both greater than 90% active as measured by active site titration.