Research Initiation Award: Ion-exchange Adsorption of Proteins

本研究将试图阐明蛋白质的生物物理化学和离子交换分离中使用的吸附表面之间的相互作用。这项研究将采用结构、分子尺度的方法，通过使用基因工程来产生已知结构的单个测试蛋白的带电改变形式。蛋白质表面电荷团的每一次系统变化所引起的吸附等温线和吸附热力学的变化，将提供对蛋白质吸附中每个蛋白残基参与程度的直接测试。离子交换色谱法已经成为生物技术中的一种重要工具。然而，许多与蛋白质在离子交换树脂上的吸附有关的现象尚不清楚，包括吸附过程中部分破坏蛋白质的倾向，这降低了蛋白质的实用性。通过使用基因工程来修饰蛋白质表面的小区域，该项目应该对蛋白质离子交换的基本理解做出重大贡献。

This research will seek to elucidate the interaction between the biophysical chemistry of proteins and the adsorption surfaces used in ion-exchange separations. The study will take a structural, molecular-scale approach through the use of genetic engineering to produce charge-altered forms of a single test protein of known structure. The variation of adsorption isotherm and adsorption thermodynamics resulting from each systematic change in charge groups on the surface of the protein will provide a direct test of the involvement of each protein residue in the adsorption of the protein. Ion Exchange chromatography has already emerged as an important tool in biotechnology. Many of the phenomena related to the adsorption of proteins on ion exchange resins are poorly understood, however, including the tendency of the adsorption process to partially damage the protein, which reduces its usefulness. By using genetic engineering to modify only small regions of the surface of the protein, this project should make a major contribution to the fundamental understanding of the ion exchange of proteins.