Organomercurial-polysaccharide, a Chromatographic Material for the Separation and Isolation of SH-Proteins.

Abstract

A new chromatographic material for separation and isolation of SH-containing proteins has been synthesized. Its function is based upon the reversible reaction between SH-proteins and an organomercurial firmly anchored to cross-linked dextran. Proteins containing sulphydryl groups are in contrast to non-SH-proteins readily fixated to the material, and can be eluted in an active, unchanged state by means of small molecular thiols or other complexing agents with affinity for mercury. The new material has been successfully applied to the separation of protein mixtures into an SH-fraction and a fraction containing no titrable SH-groups. Furthermore, it has been applied as a purification step in the isolation procedure of mercaptalbumin and of SH-enzymes as well as for concentrating dilute solutions of SH-enzymes. The material is particularly suited for chromatographic fractionation of individual SH-proteins utilizing a gradient and/or stepwise elution with mercury complexing agents.