Extraction of plasmid DNA from Escherichia coli cell lysate in a thermoseparating aqueous two-phase system

The primary purification of a 6.1 kilo base pair (kbp) plasmid from a desalted alkaline lysate has been accomplished by a thermoseparating aqueous two-phase system [(50% ethylene oxide-50% propylene oxide)-Dextran T 500]. The partitioning of the different nucleic acids (plasmid DNA, RNA, genomic DNA) in the thermoseparating aqueous two-phase system was followed both qualitatively by agarose gel electrophoresis and quantitatively by analytical chromatography (size exclusion- and anion-exchange mode) and PicoGreen fluorescence analysis. The experimental results showed a complete recovery of the plasmid DNA to the top phase, while 80% of total RNA and 58% of total protein was discarded to the bottom phase. Moreover, a 3.8-fold volume reduction of the plasmid DNA solution was achieved. By using a final thermoseparating step, the EO50PO50 polymer could be efficiently recycled, resulting in plasmid solution containing less than 1% polymer. The developed thermoseparating aqueous two-phase system shows great potential for the large-scale processing of plasmid DNA.     

蛋白质在表面活性剂与高分子共组双水相体系中 的分配

高分子和正负离子表面活性剂混合物可形成一种新型双水相体系。研究蛋白质在溴化十二烷基三乙铵/十二烷基硫酸钠与聚氧乙烯(EO)-聚氧丙烯(PO)嵌段共聚物(EO~2~0PO~8~0)共组双水相体系中的分配。通过在高分子接上亲和配基,研究蛋白质在带有亲和配基高分子的双水相体系中的分配。将表面活性剂富集相稀释或加热高分子富集相,又可形成新的双水相体系,由此可进行蛋白质的多步分配。在蛋白质的分配完成之后,通过将表面活性剂富集相进一步稀释或将高分子富集相加热至高分子浊点以上可将表面活性剂和高分子与目标蛋白质分离。正负离子表面活性剂和高分子还可以循环使用。     

Genetically engineered peptide fusions for improved protein partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. Effect of fusion localization on endoglucanase I of Trichoderma reesei

Genetic engineering has been used for fusion of the peptide tag, Trp-Pro-Trp-Pro, on a protein to study the effect on partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. As target protein for the fusions the cellulase, endoglucanase I (endo-1,4-beta-Dglucan-4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4, EGI, Cel7B) of Trichoderma reesei was used. For the first time a glycosylated two-domain enzyme has been utilized for addition of peptide tags to change partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. The aim was to find an optimal fusion localization for EGI. The peptide was (1) attached to the C-terminus end of the cellulose binding domain (CBD), (2) inserted in the glycosylated linker region, (3) added after a truncated form of EGI lacking the CBD and a small part of the linker. The different constructs were expressed in the filamentous fungus T. reesei under the gpdA promoter from Aspergillus nidulans. The expression levels were between 60 and 100 mg/l. The partitioning behavior of the fusion proteins was studied in an aqueous two-phase model system composed of the thermoseparating ethylene oxide (EO)-propylene oxide (PO) random copolymer EO-PO (50:50) (EO50PO50) and dextran. The Trp-Pro-Trp-Pro tag was found to direct the fusion protein to the top EO50PO50 phase. The partition coefficient of a fusion protein can be predicted with an empirical correlation based on independent contributions from partitioning of unmodified protein and peptide tag in this model system. The fusion position at the end of the CBD, with the spacer Pro-Gly, was shown to be optimal with respect to partitioning and tag efficiency factor (TEF) was 0.87, where a fully exposed tag would have a TEF of 1.0. Hence, this position can further be utilized for fusion with longer tags. For the other constructs the TEF was only 0.43 and 0.10, for the tag fused to the truncated EGI and in the linker region of the full length EGI, respectively.     

正负离子表面活性剂与高聚物混合双水相体系的相行为及蛋白质的分配

报道了由正负离子表面活性剂与高聚物混合溶液形成的一种可用于蛋白质的分离及分析的新型双水相萃取体系.研究了正负离子表面活性剂(溴化十二烷基三乙铵/十二烷基硫酸钠)分别与葡聚糖和聚乙二醇混合双水相体系的形成规律、相行为及牛血清蛋白和溶菌酶在双水相体系中的分配.通过在高聚物分子中接上亲和配基,研究蛋白质在双水相体系中的亲和分配.结果表明,在该体系中,表面活性剂与高聚物分别富集于不同相中.升高温度及加入无机盐均可促进双水相体系的形成,不同蛋白质可分配于不同的相中.亲和配基的引入极大地增强了蛋白质分配的选择性.     

Genetically engineered peptide fusions for improved protein partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems: Effect of fusion localization on endoglucanase I of Trichoderma reesei

Genetic engineering has been used for fusion of the peptide tag, Trp–Pro–Trp–Pro, on a protein to study the effect on partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. As target protein for the fusions the cellulase, endoglucanase I (endo-1,4-β- -glucan-4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4, EGI, Cel7B) of Trichoderma reesei was used. For the first time a glycosylated two-domain enzyme has been utilized for addition of peptide tags to change partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. The aim was to find an optimal fusion localization for EGI. The peptide was (1) attached to the C-terminus end of the cellulose binding domain (CBD), (2) inserted in the glycosylated linker region, (3) added after a truncated form of EGI lacking the CBD and a small part of the linker. The different constructs were expressed in the filamentous fungus T. reesei under the gpdA promoter from Aspergillus nidulans. The expression levels were between 60 and 100 mg/l. The partitioning behavior of the fusion proteins was studied in an aqueous two-phase model system composed of the thermoseparating ethylene oxide (EO)–propylene oxide (PO) random copolymer EO–PO (50:50) (EO₅₀PO₅₀) and dextran. The Trp–Pro–Trp–Pro tag was found to direct the fusion protein to the top EO₅₀PO₅₀ phase. The partition coefficient of a fusion protein can be predicted with an empirical correlation based on independent contributions from partitioning of unmodified protein and peptide tag in this model system. The fusion position at the end of the CBD, with the spacer Pro–Gly, was shown to be optimal with respect to partitioning and tag efficiency factor (TEF) was 0.87, where a fully exposed tag would have a TEF of 1.0. Hence, this position can further be utilized for fusion with longer tags. For the other constructs the TEF was only 0.43 and 0.10, for the tag fused to the truncated EGI and in the linker region of the full length EGI, respectively.     

Cutinase-peptide fusions in thermoseparating aqueous two-phase systems. Prediction of partitioning and enhanced tag efficiency by detergent addition

It is of increasing importance to develop efficient purification methods for recombinant proteins where the number of steps can be minimised. The aim has been to establish a method for predicting the partitioning of the wild-type target protein in an aqueous two-phase system, and with this as basis, develop fusion tags and optimise the phase system for enhanced partitioning of the target protein. The surface of the lipolytic enzyme cutinase from Fusarium solani pisi was investigated with a computer program, Graphical Representation and Analysis of Surface Properties (GRASP). The accessible surface areas for the different amino acid residues were used together with peptide partitioning data to calculate the partition coefficient for the protein. The separation system was composed of a thermoseparating random copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Breox PAG 50A 1000, as top phase forming polymer and a hydroxypropyl starch polymer, Reppal PES 200, as bottom phase polymer. The calculated partition coefficient for the wild-type protein (K= 1.0) agreed reasonably well with the experimentally determined value (K=0.85). Genetic engineering was used to construct fusion proteins expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on cutinase and peptide tags containing tryptophan, to enhance the partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. The partitioning of the cutinase constructs could qualitatively be predicted from peptide partitioning data, i.e. the trends in partitioning could be predicted. A spacer peptide introduced between protein and tag increased the partitioning of the protein towards the ethylene oxide-propylene oxide (EOPO) copolymer top phase. The aqueous two-phase system was modified by addition of detergent to increase the partitioning of the cutinase variants towards the EOPO copolymer phase. Triton and a series of C12En detergents selectively increased the partitioning of cutinase constructs with (WP)4-based tags up to 14 times compared to wild-type cutinase. The protein partition could almost quantitatively be predicted from the peptide partition data.     

Phase equilibrium in aqueous two-phase systems containing ethylene oxide–propylene oxide block copolymers and dextran

Phase equilibrium of aqueous two-phase systems containing the polysaccharide dextran and ethylene oxide (EO)/propylene oxide (PO) triblock copolymers was investigated in this work. Phase diagrams at 25.0 °C were experimentally obtained for systems formed by either dextran 19 (average molar mass of 8200 g mol⁻¹) or dextran 400 (average molar mass of 236 kg mol⁻¹) and one of the following block copolymers F38, F68, F108, P105 and P103, which present different structures in terms of EO/PO ratios and molar masses. It was possible to assess the influence of the polymer features on the phase equilibrium: the main factors affecting phase equilibrium being the size of dextran molecule and the structure (mainly the EO/PO ratio) of the copolymer. The Flory–Huggins equation was used to correlate the experimental data with good qualitative agreement, allowing the inference that changes in the copolymer hydrophobicity are the main responsible for the observed phase diagrams.     

Phase equilibrium and insulin partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems containing block copolymers and potassium phosphate

In this work, phase diagrams of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) containing PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymers and potassium phosphate as well as the partitioning behavior of insulin in these systems are presented. Experiments aimed at the identification of the effects of copolymer structure (by varying the number of EO units per polymer molecule), temperature (283.15 and 298.15 K) and pH (5.0 and 7.0) on the phase behavior of these systems were carried out. The results indicated the enlargement of the two-phase region upon increasing the temperature, pH and copolymer hydrophobicity (expressed as the PO/EO ratio in the copolymer molecule). Experimental measurements of the partitioning of human insulin in these ATPS also indicated the dependency of the partition coefficients on temperature, pH, and copolymer hydrophobicity, with the latter being the most influential factor. Finally, experimental data on the phase behavior and insulin partitioning were correlated using an excess Gibbs energy virial-type model modified in order to account for coulombic interactions and ionization equilibrium between the various forms of the phosphate ion.     

On the mechanism of growth of cells (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) in the mixed aqueous two-phase system

The growth ofBacillus amyloliquefaciens in the aqueous two-phase system, made up of polyethylene glycol, dextran, and water, was investigated. Generally,Bacillus partitions in the dextran phase, but the magnitude of the separation depends largely on the overall composition of polymers in the phase system. The kinetics of growth ofBacillus amyloliquefaciens was studied in the polyethylene glycol-rich continuous phase, dextran-rich dispersed phase, and in the mixed phase. From the kinetic data it appears that increasing the overall polymer composition causes the cells to adsorp at the interface. On the other hand, partition measurements indicate that increasing polymer concentrations make the cell partitioning more one-sided. This anomaly is explained by studying the interfacial adsorption of cells via dynamic surface tension measurements.     

Affinity partitioning of enzymes using dextran-bound procion yellow HE-3G. Influence of dye-ligand density

The dye Procion Yellow HE-3G was bound to dextran of molecular weight 70,000 and the partitioning of this dye-polymer within an aqueous two-phase system containing dextran and poly(ethylene glycol) was studied as function of ligand density, polymer concentration, type of salt, concentration of salt and concentration of dye-dextran. Even moderate dye:dextran molar ratios (5-8) make the partitioning strongly salt-dependent. The dye-dextran can be directed to either the upper or the lower phase with partition coefficients from 0.02 to 28 by using salts. The dye-dextran in the two-phase system affects the partitioning of dye-binding enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase) towards the dye-containing phase. Measurements of competition with nucleotide binding show an increased affinity of the dye for the enzyme with increasing ligand:dextran ratio. Theoretical considerations indicate that 1-2 dextran molecules are attached per enzyme molecule when affinity partitioning is fully developed.     

Effect of solute hydrophobicity on phase behaviour in solutions of thermoseparating polymers

 Two-phase systems consisting of a polymer rich phase and polymer depleted phase, where the polymer is either ethyl(hydroxy ethyl)cellulose (EHEC) or Ucon (a random copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide), have been studied. Both of these polymers can be separated from an aqueous solution by either temperature increase or addition of cosolutes. The polymers are thermoseparating and phase separate in water solutions at the cloud point temperature. Two types of EHEC have been studied: one with a cloud point at 60 °C and the other at 37 °C. The Ucon polymer used in this study has a cloud point at 50 °C. Ternary phase diagrams of polymer/water/cosolute systems have been investigated. When a strongly hydrophilic or hydrophobic cosolute is added to an EHEC- or Ucon–water solution, a phase separation occurs already at, or below, room temperature. As cosolutes, hydrophobic molecules like phenol, butyric and propionic acid, and hydrophilic molecules like glycine, ammonium acetate, sodium carboxylates (acetate to valerate), were studied. The polymer rich phase formed when mixing polymer, water and cosolute was strongly enriched or depleted with hydrophobic or hydrophilic cosolutes, respectively. The two phase region increased for propionic acid, butyric acid and phenol as a result of increased cosolute hydrophobicity. The opposite occurred in the series sodium acetate, sodium butyrate and sodium valerate. The effect of temperature on the phase behaviour has also been investigated. Model calculations based on Flory–Huggins theory of polymer solutions are presented, in form of a phase diagram, which semiquantitatively reproduce some experimental results. Received: 5 July 1996 Accepted: 4 November 1996     

New phase supports for partition chromatography of biopolymers

Liquid-liquid partition chromatography of bio-polymers requires aqueous two-phase systems for reasons of sample solubility and stability. Such aqueous two-phase systems form when thermodynamically incompatible polymers are co-dissolved in water. The most common polymer combination providing a two-phase system at reasonably low polymer concentrations is the combination of poly(ethylene glycol) (“PEG”) and dextran (“DX”), detected and introduced for the separation of biopolymers and cells by Albertsson about 30 years ago. The application of this powerful system for liquid-liquid partition chromatography requires support materials with surfaces able to immobilize selectively one of the two aqueous phases. This phase immobilisation may be achieved by exploiting incompatibilities between the polymers dominating in the phases and the hydrated support surface. Examples involving diol-modified silica and polyacrylamide coated diol-silica as support materials in aqueous PEG-DX and PEG-salt systems are presented. The application of such systems for the separation of biopolymers is demonstrated.     

Protein partitioning in thermoseparating systems of a charged hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide polymer

The phase behavior of a thermoseparating cationic hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide polymer (HM-EO) containing tertiary amines has been investigated at different pH, salt and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentrations, in order to find a water/HM-EO two-phase system suitable for protein partitioning. The used polymer forms micellar aggregates that can be charged. By changing pH and SDS concentrations the netcharge of the SDS/HM-EO aggregate can be shifted from positive to negative. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme were partitioned in the thermoseparated two-phase systems of the cationic polymer at different pH, salt and SDS concentrations. The dominant attractive interactions between the polymer aggregates and the studied proteins were shown to be of electrostatic (Coulomb) nature rather than hydrophobic interaction. At low ionic strength the positively charged polymeric aggregates attracted negatively charged BSA and repelled positively charged lysozyme. Upon addition of SDS the negatively charged aggregates attracted lysozyme and repelled BSA. Thus, it was possible to direct proteins with different charges to the polymeric phase and redirect them to a polymer-depleted phase by changing the netcharge of the polymeric aggregates. The effect of different salts on the partitioning of BSA in a system of slightly positively charged HM-EO was studied. NaCl and KBr have a significant effect on driving the BSA to the polymer-depleted phase, whereas KF and K2SO4 have a smaller effect on the partitioning. The cloud point temperature of the charged polymer decreased upon addition of SDS near the isoelectric molar ratio of SDS to polymer and also upon salt addition. In the latter case the decrease was smaller than expected from model calculations based on Flory-Huggins theory, which were performed for a charged thermoseparating polymer at different charges and salt concentrations.     

Aqueous phase separation in giant vesicles

We report the synthesis and initial characterization of approximately 10 mum diameter lipid vesicles that contain two distinct aqueous phases. The aqueous two-phase system is a dextran/poly(ethylene glycol) solution that exhibits temperature-dependent phase behavior. Vesicles were prepared above the phase transition temperature of the polymer solution. Upon cooling to room temperature, the polymer solution phase separated both within the vesicles and in the bulk solution. The location of poly(ethylene glycol)-rich and dextran-rich phases was determined by fluorescence microscopy. These structures are exciting in that they enable for the first time the interior volume of liposomes to be structured.     

Integrated process for purification of plasmid DNA using aqueous two-phase systems combined with membrane filtration and lid bead chromatography

An integrated process for purifying a 6.1 kilo base pair (kbp) plasmid from a clarified Escherichia coli cell lysate based on an ultra/diafiltration step combined with polymer/polymer aqueous two-phase system and a new type of chromatography is described. The process starts with a volume reduction (ultrafiltration) and buffer exchange (diafiltration) of the clarified lysate using a hollow fibre membrane system. The concentrated and desalted plasmid solution is then extracted in a thermoseparating aqueous two-phase system, where the contaminants (RNA and proteins) to a large extent are removed. While the buffer exchange (diafiltration) is necessary in order to extract the plasmid DNA exclusively to the top phase, experiments showed that the ultrafiltration step increased the productivity of the aqueous two-phase system by a factor of more than 10. The thermoseparated water phase was then subjected to a polishing step using lid bead chromatography. Lid beads are a new type of restricted access chromatography beads, here with a positively charged inner core that adsorbed the remaining RNA while its inert surface layer prevented adsorption of the plasmid DNA thus passing in the flow-through of the column. Differently-sized plasmid DNA in the range of 2.7-20.5 kbp were also partitioned in the aqueous two-phase system. Within this size range, all plasmid DNA was exclusively extracted to the top phase. The complete process is free of additives and easy scalable for use in large scale production of plasmid DNA. The overall process yield for plasmid DNA was 69%.     

Linking atomistic and mesoscale simulations of water-soluble polymers

A link between molecular and mesoscopic simulations for water-soluble polymers is made using the potential of mean force (PMF) method. Mesoscale parameters are adjusted to match selected thermodynamic quantities such as the monomer second virial coefficient or the limiting slope of the monomer adsorption isotherm, which are computed directly from atomistic PMFs. The method is illustrated by computing the bulk and surface interaction parameters (chi parameters in self-consistent field theory) for the adsorption of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) polymers from aqueous solution onto silica.     

Photoresponse of an aqueous two-phase system composed of photochromic dextran

A novel aqueous two-phase system, which exhibits a reversible photoinduced phase separation, has been developed with photochromic dextran synthesized by substituting 0.3 mol % of the hydroxyl groups with the photochromic chromophore, 6-nitrospiropyran (NSp). For an aqueous solution containing this photochromic dextran and poly(ethylene glycol), it was observed that the solution, which had been uniform in the dark, quickly separated into two phases through blue light irradiation within 1 min and returned to the former uniform state spontaneously after heating at 50 degrees C for 1 h. Photoisomerization of NSp was confirmed to shift the phase separation temperature of this aqueous two-phase system by up to 30 degrees C.     

Transition from complete to partial wetting within membrane compartments

Wetting and dewetting phenomena are ubiquitous, but wetting transitions have been reported only in a few experimental systems. In this work, we present a wetting transition in a mesoscopic membrane compartment for the first time. A two-phase aqueous polymer solution was encapsulated in a giant vesicle (few tens of micrometers in size). The polymers used are poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) and dextran. By increasing the polymer concentration in the vesicle, the PEG-rich phase changed from complete wetting to partial wetting of the membrane.     

Isolation of Escherichia coli inner membranes by metal affinity two-phase partitioning

As reduction of sample complexity is a central issue in membrane proteomic research, the need for new pre-fractionation methods is significant. Here we present a method for fast and efficient enrichment of Escherichia coli inner membranes expressing a His-tagged integral membrane L-fucose-proton symporter (FucP). An enriched inner membrane fraction was obtained from a crude membrane mixture using affinity two-phase partitioning in combination with nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) immobilized on agarose beads. Due to interaction between the beads and FucP, inner membranes were selectively partitioned to the bottom phase of a polymer/polymer aqueous two-phase system consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran. The partitioning of membranes was monitored by assaying the activity of an inner membrane marker protein and measuring the total protein content in both phases. The enrichment of inner membrane proteins in the dextran phase was also investigated by proteomic methodology, including sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), trypsin digestion and liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Using a high level of significance (99.95%) in the subsequent database search, 36 proteins assigned to the inner membrane were identified in the bottom phase, compared to 29 when using the standard sucrose gradient centrifugation method for inner membrane isolation. Furthermore, metal affinity two-phase partitioning was up to 10 times faster than sucrose gradient centrifugation. The separation conditions in these model experiments provide a basis for the selective isolation of E. coli membranes expressing His-tagged proteins and can therefore facilitate research on such membrane proteomes.     

Distinct difference in ionic transport behavior in polymer electrolytes depending on the matrix polymers and incorporated salts

Two different electrolyte salts, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI), were incorporated into network polymers to obtain ion-conductive polymer electrolytes. Network polymers of poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) (P(EO/PO)) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were chosen as matrixes for LiTFSI and EMITFSI, respectively. Both of the polymer electrolytes were single-phase materials and were completely amorphous. Ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolytes was measured over a wide temperature range, with the lowest temperatures close to or below the glass transition temperatures (Tg). The Arrhenius plots of the conductivity for both of the systems exhibited positively curved profiles and could be well fit to the Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) equation. The conductivity of the PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes was higher at most by 3 orders of magnitude than that of the LiTFSI/P(EO/ PO) electrolytes at ambient temperature. When the ideal glass transition temperature, T0 (one of the VTF fitting parameters), was compared with the Tg, a difference in the ionic conduction was apparent in these systems. In the P(EO/PO)/LiTFSI electrolytes, the T0 and Tg increased in parallel with salt concentration and the T0 was lower than the Tg by ca. 50 degrees C. On the contrary, the difference between the T0 and the Tg increased with increasing content of PMMA in the PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes, with the observed difference in the concentration range studied reaching up to ca. 100 degrees C. The conductivity at the Tg, sigma(Tg), for the LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) electrolytes was on the order of 10(-14-)10(-13) S cm(-1) and increased with increasing salt concentration, whereas that for the PMMA/EMITFSI polymer electrolytes reached 10(-7) S cm(-1) when the concentration of PMMA was high. The ion transport mechanism was discussed in terms of the concepts of coupling/decoupling and strong/fragile for the two different polymer electrolytes.