Gel Filtration Chromatography Lecture
Transcript of Gel Filtration Chromatography Lecture
Chromatography literally means “color writing”.
Chromatography was invented by the Russianbotanist Mikhail Tsvet in 1900. He used it to separate chlorophyll-containing extracts of plants.
Key idea is that molecules of interest interactdifferentially with the stationary phase and a mobilephase, and thus can be separated.
Gel-Filtration Chromatography
First, a review of the general principles of chromatography:
The Basic PrincipleIllustrated
As we discussgel-filtration(aka, size-exlclusion)chromatography, compare and contrast it with ion-exchange chromatography
from Lehninger’s Biochemistry by Michael M. Cox and David L. Nelson, W.H. Freeman, 2005
Partition Coefficient and Relative Mobility
Partition coefficient describes the affinity of a compound for the stationary phase.
α or (Kav)= molecules adsorbed on stationary phase molecules in stationary and mobile phase
Can have values between 0 and 1. Example, a molecule with α = 0.4 will be 40% adsorbed on the stationary phase.
Relative mobility or retention factor (Rf) describes the affinity of a molecule for the mobile phase.Rf = 1 – α (Recall Rf from TLC in Organic Chem)
Gel-Filtration ChromatographyThe principle is somewhat counterintuitive: a resin is selected that has pores through which smaller molecules can pass, but larger molecules are excluded and thus elute first.
The ability of gel filtration to separate molecules according to size resides with the highly porous structure of gel filtration media and is basically a question of accessible volumes.
Scanning electron micrograph of an agarose gel. Magnification x 50,000.Ref. Anders S. Medin, PhD Thesis, Uppsala University 1995.
Gel-Filtration Chromatographycontinued.
from Lehninger’s Biochemistry by Michael M. Cox and David L. Nelson, W.H. Freeman, 2005
Gel-Filtration Chromatography: another view
The Role of the Partition Coefficient In Gel-Filtration Chromatography
where Vt is total volume; Ve is the volume at which the molecule of interest elutes (assuming that it is within the fractionation range of the matrix); Vo is the volume of the space between the beads; and Vi is the volume of the space within the beads.
see for example, http://www.wiley.com/college/fob/quiz/quiz05/5-6.html
You should learn thoroughly the first equation on the previous slide (Ve = Vo + KavVi), then you can obtain the other equations by reminding yourself of the two extreme values of the partition coefficient Kav.
If Kav = 0 (i.e., if the molecule has no interaction with the resin and therefore passes around the beadsinstead of through the pores of the beads), then Ve = Vo, and the molecule will come out with the voidvolume.
If Kav = 1 (i.e., if the molecule is so small that it has full access to the pores of the beads), then Ve = Vo + Vi = Vt,and the molecule will come out with the total volume.
Fig. 4-4 (Ninfa & Ballou)
For very small molecules that have full access to thepores of the beads (small dots), Ve = Vt
excludedpartiallyincluded
fullyincluded
High resolution mode
Gel filtration is commonly used in two different modes:
1. High resolution mode to separate large molecules like proteins, peptides oligonucleotides, polysaccharides etc.
Group separation mode
2. Group separation mode to separate large molecules (Mr >5000) as a group from small molecules like salts and buffer ions.Group separation mode accepts much larger sample volumes than high resolution mode and can be performed at considerably higher flow rates.
Matrix name Bead type Approximate fractionation range for peptides and globular proteins (molecular weight)
Sephadex G-50¹ dextran 1500 - 30000
Sephadex G-100¹
dextran 4000 - 150000
Sephacryl S-200 HR¹
dextran 5000 - 250000
Ultrogel AcA 54² polyacrylamide/agarose
6000 - 70000
Ultrogel AcA 44² polyacrylamide/agarose
12000 - 130000
Ultrogel AcA 34² polyacrylamide/agarose
20000 - 400000
Bio-Gel P-60³ polyacrylamide 3000 - 60000
Bio Gel P-150³ polyacrylamide 15000 - 150000
Bio-Gel P-300³ polyacrylamide 60000 - 400000¹Sephadex is a registered trademark of Pharmacia PL.²Ultrogel is a registered trademark of Pharmacia-LKB.³Bio Gel is a registered trademark of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/biobm330/protlab/Gel_filtration.html
Fractionation Ranges