Evan Shave

Preparative-scale isoelectric trapping separations using a modified Gradiflow unit

The Gradiflow BF200 preparative electrophoretic unit (Gradipore), which has been developed for size-based and charge-sign-based protein separations and in which the hydraulic flow path of the recirculating sample stream in the separation cartridge is orthogonal to the electric field, has been modified to carry out binary protein separations using the principles of isoelectric trapping. The disposable separation cartridge contained three isoelectric membranes which, along with the cartridge holder, formed the anode and cathode compartments and the anodic and cathodic separation compartments. The utility of the modified instrument was demonstrated by effecting a binary separation of chicken egg white across an isoelectric point 5.5 isoelectric membrane. The desalting and subsequent binary separation steps proved to be remarkably rapid, due to the favorable combination of short electrophoretic path, high electric field strength and large effective isoelectric membrane surface area.

Preparative-scale isoelectric trapping enantiomer separations

The new Gradiflow BF200 IET unit, developed for isoelectric trapping protein separations has been modified and used to carry out preparative-scale enantiomer separations. Hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin was used as the chiral resolving agent to induce an isoelectric point difference between the enantiomers. Three isoelectric membranes with isoelectric points below, in between and above the isoelectric points of the complexed enantiomers were used to trap the separated enantiomers in the anodic and cathodic separation compartments of the Gradiflow BF200 IET apparatus, respectively. The production rates were about 15 times higher than those previously obtained with another isoelectric trapping device and about 30% higher than those obtained in a continuous free-flow electrophoretic device operated in the isoelectric focusing mode. The remarkable separation speed observed in the modified Gradiflow BF200 IET unit is attributed to the favorable interplay of the short electrophoretic transfer distance, the high electric field strength and the large effective surface areas of the isoelectric membranes.