REU Supplement: Selective Protein Filtration

膜在分子量基础上分离蛋白质的能力远远低于仅从膜的性质所期望的能力。一般来说，蛋白质必须至少相差一个数量级才能被超滤有效地分离。文献中提出了各种现象来解释这一点，包括凝胶层的形成、蛋白质在膜上的吸附、孔径分布过宽、蛋白质复合物的形成等。该项目将集中于影响两种蛋白质膜分离的最重要参数的系统实验变化，目的是确定最重要的实际现象。如果成功，该项目将导致设计改进的膜和改进的操作程序，以更有效地分离蛋白质的膜。这一成就将有助于消除过去十年生物技术进步商业化的一个主要工程障碍。

The ability of membranes to separate proteins on the basis of molecular weight is much less than would be expected from the properties of the membranes alone. Generally proteins must differ by at least an order of magnitude to be efficiently separated by ultrafiltration. Various phenomena have been suggested in the literature to explain this, including such things as gel-layer formation, adsorption of the protein on the membrane, too broad a pore size distribution, formation of protein complexes, etc. This project will focus on a systematic experimental variation of the most important parameters affecting the membrane separation of two proteins with the goal of identifying the actual phenomena of most importance. If successful, this project should lead to the design of improved membranes and improved operating procedures for more efficient membrane separation of proteins. This accomplishment would help remove a major engineering roadblock to the commercialization of biotechnology advances of the last decade.