Interactions and Applications of Soluble Heterobifunctional Affinity Chelating Polymers in Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography

The interaction of immobilized metal-chelating adsorbents with a dual heterobifunctional soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG) of the form X-PEG-Y is described, where X represents an affinity ligand and Y a dictating agent. The bifunctional PEG derivative used in this study was biotin-PEG-iminodiacetic acid (EDA). Affinity and metal binding constants of this conjugate for copper and avidin were found to be in excellent agreement with the binding affinities of the corresponding unconjugated groups IDA and biotin, respectively. The characteristics of the interaction of this bifunctional derivative is described in terms of its adsorption in immobilized metal affinity chromatographic (IMAC) adsorbents. The results show that this derivative can be reversibly and selectively bound to specific IMAC adsorbents under certain experimental conditions. This immobilized scheme resembles a system where an IMAC adsorbent was transformed into an affinity adsorbent as a result of the interactions of both dictating derivatives, one in solution (biotin-PEG-IDA) and the other on the solid matrix (IMAC adsorbent). Apparently the modified IMAC adsorbents, once the affinity dictating ligands are attached, exhibit characteristics similar to those of covalently bound affinity ligands in affinity chromatographic systems.