Protein Chromatography Flashcards
chromatography
method to separate molecules
examples of molecules that can be separated:
- sugars
- amino acids
- proteins
Separation can be based on PHYSICAL properties:
- size
- charge (positive or negative; hydrophobic or hydrophilic)
- the three dimensional conformation of the molecule
hydrophobic
- having no affinity to water
- tend to coalesce and form droplets in water
- does not have a charge; not polar
hydrophilic
- Having an affinity to water
- has a charge; polar
size exclusion chromatography
- separate on the basis of their size
- gel filtration
How did the size exclusion (gel filtration) chromatography work?
- Mixture of proteins were added to a column containing microscopic porous beads.
- Any molecule that is smaller than the holes in the beads enter and exit the beads at will and take a long time to travel from the top to the bottom of the column in their extended zig-zag journey.
- Molecules that are larger than the holes in the beads ravel down the column in a direct journey very quickly since they are too large to enter the holes.
- Since the small molecules travel slowly and the large molecules travel quickly through the column material, a method of separation is established based on size.
Size exclusion (gel filtration) chromatography PROCEDURE
- Obtain 12 test tubes. Label the first 10 as 1-10, and the remaining two as WASTER and BUFFER. Add 4 ml of column buffer to the tube marker buffer using transfer pipettes.
- Obtain one prepared column, remove the top cap and snap off the bottom end. Allow the liquid buffer to drain from the column into the tube marked WASTE.
- Place the column into tube 1 and carefully add 3 drops of the protein mix to the top of the column matrix with a pipette.
- Once the protein mix has entered the column matrix, carefully add 250 ul (.25 mL) of column buffer to the top of the column matrix. Carefully add 3ml of column buffer to the top of the column matrix. Transfer the entire column to tube 2 and collect 5 drops.
- After collecting 5 drops in tube 2, transfer the entire column to tube 3 and collect 5 drops again. Keep repeating this until you have 5 drops in all of your collection tubes.
- Examine results
Transfer pipettes measurements
1000 ul = 1 mL
750 ul = .75 mL
500 ul = .50 mL
250 ul = .25 mL
Size exclusion (gel filtration) chromatography RESULTS
- The HEMOGLOBIN (MW= 65,000) was the molecule to exit the column first. Mixture was red-brown
- The VITAMIN B-12 (MW- 1,350) exited last and is the smaller molecule. The mixture was dark pink.
denaturation
an extreme unfolding of proteins
tonicity
the ability of a solution surrounding a cell to cause that cell to gain or lose water
elute
to remove an absorbed substance by washing with a solvent.
supernatant
the liquid above the solid pellet after centrifuge or other process of separation
lysozyme
- an enzyme that destroys bacterial cell walls; in mammals, it is found in sweat, tears, and saliva
TE buffer
low-salt buffer
binding buffer
high salt buffer