Impact of extraction and elution media on non-size effects in size exclusion chromatography of proteins

Size exclusion chromatography is extensively used to separate proteins and to determine their apparent molecular weights. It separates proteins based on hydrodynamic volume, but interactions between the chromatography resin and proteins lead to non-size effects. This report discusses the impact of co-solvents [salt, urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), dithiothreitol] in extraction media when separating wheat gluten proteins, soy glycinin, bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin on a Biosep-SEC-S4000 column. With acetonitrile/water (1:1, v/v) containing 0.05% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid as eluent, salts and SDS in the extraction media increase while urea decreases non-size effects. Most gluten and globular proteins are extractable in sodium phosphate buffer (0.050 M; pH 6.8) containing 2.0% (w/v) SDS. This chromatographic medium allows analyzing mixtures of various proteins without any non-size effects.