Ion-Exchange Chromatography
Source: Laboratory of Dr. B. Jill Venton - University of Virginia
Ion-exchange chromatography is a type of chromatography that separates analytes base…
1. Preparing the Sample and the Column
- In this demonstration, a mixture of 2 proteins will be separated on a cation-exchange column: hemoglobin and cytochrome C. Add 0.2 mL equilibration buffer (pH 8.1) to the protein sample and vortex to mix thoroughly. Centrifuge for 2 min to remove any froth.
- Place the cation-exchange column in a test tube for 5 min to allow resin to settle. Clamp the test tube with the column onto a ring stand to make sure it is upright.
- Open the top cap of the column, and then the bottom cap. Allow the buffer in the column to drip out under gravity into the test tube.
- Wash the column twice with a column-volume (in this case the column volume is 0.3 mL) of equilibration buffer. Let the first column-volume (0.3 mL) of equilibration buffer drip out into the waste vial before adding the second column-volume. This step lets the column equilibrate with the equilibration buffer. Add the equilibration buffer slowly in this step to not disturb the resin.
2. Running a Protein Sample Through a Cation-Exchange Column
- Put the column in a 2 mL centrifuge tube labeled "Unbound 1". Carefully load 0.1 mL of the protein sample onto the top of the column.
- Once the sample has been loaded onto the top of the column, wash it with 0.3 mL of equilibration buffer by adding the buffer at the top of the column and allowing it to drip all the way through. Repeat this step 4x (for a total of 5 washes) and collect each wash in a separate, 2-mL centrifuge tube. Label the tubes as "Unbound 1-5".
- For the last 2 washes, centrifuge for 10 s at 1,000 x g to make sure all unbound species come off the column. Any sample that binds to the column should not be in these washes, but sample that does not bind will wash out unretained. Centrifuging provides more force to wash unbound materials off the column.
- Put the column in a new 2-mL centrifuge collection tube labeled "Bound 1". Put 0.3 mL of elution buffer (high salt, pH 5.5) on top the column. Centrifuge the resulting eluent for 10 s at 1,000 x g.
- Repeat the elution step 2 more times by placing the column in a new centrifuge tube, adding 0.3 mL, and centrifuging for 10 s. Label these "Bound 2 and 3".
- Record any color changes or observations about the fractions. Hemoglobin is a colored protein that looks reddish-brown while cytochrome C is reddish colored.
3. Results: Cation-exchange of Hemoglobin and Cytochrome C
- Cytochrome C has a pI of 10.5 and hemoglobin a pI of 6.8. Thus, when a pH 8.1 equilibration buffer is used, hemoglobin does not bind to the column because it is negatively charged. Cytochrome C is positively charged at this pH and does bind to the column because the pH < pI.
- Hemoglobin is observed in the unbound fractions because it is not bound to the column.
- Cytochrome C is observed in bound fractions, because it was bound to the cation exchange column.
Figure 1. Picture of unbound fraction (hemoglobin) and bound fraction (cytochrome C).
Ion-exchange chromatography is widely used in the separation and isolation of charged compounds, particularly large biomolecules.
This type of liquid chromatography uses a column of packed stationary-phase beads, called resin. The technique separates analytes based on their affinity with the charged resin.
There are two main types of this technique. In cation-exchange chromatography, negatively-charged resin is used to bind positively-charged analytes. Similarly, in anion-exchange, negatively-charged analytes bind to positively-charged resin. The unbound compounds are washed through the column, and the analyte can then be collected in a separate container.
This video will introduce the basics of ion-exchange chromatography, and demonstrate the technique by separating a protein mixture in the laboratory.
The stationary phase is a key component to a successful separation. Strong cation-exchange resins typically feature strong?acid functional groups, such as sulfonic acid. Weak cation-exchange resins feature weak groups, such as carboxylic acids.
Similarly, strong anion-exchange resins utilize strong bases, like quaternary amines, while weak anion-exchange resins use secondary or tertiary amines. The selection of resin will depend on the properties of the sample mixture, and the analyte of interest.
The buffers used, collectively called the mobile phase, are also important to separation, particularly in terms of pH. For proteins, pH is selected based on its isoelectric point, or pI. At a pH equal to the protein's pI, the protein is neutral. Above the pI, it will have a net negative charge, while below the pI, it will have a net positive charge. The buffer pH must be selected so the protein is properly charged and able to bind to the stationary phase.
Ion-exchange chromatography is generally a four-step process. First, a packed column containing either anion- or cation-exchange resin is equilibrated using buffer. For anion-exchange columns, this involves protonating the resin, ensuring it is positively charged.
Next, the sample is loaded on the column. The buffer must have low conductivity, as charged species can compete with the sample for interactions with the resin. Compounds of opposite charge bind to the resin. Molecules that are not charged, or carry the same charge, remain unbound.
In the third step, the column is washed with additional buffer to remove the unbound components from the column, leaving the bound behind.
Finally, the fourth step is the elution of the bound analyte. This is accomplished either by using a salt gradient, where the salt concentration is gradually increased, or using a high salt elution buffer.
Molecules that are weakly bound will be eluted first, as the low salt will most easily disturb their ionic bonding to the resin. Compounds that are more strongly bound will elute with higher salt concentrations.
Now that the basics of ion exchange chromatography have been outlined, lets take a look at its use in the separation of two proteins.
First, to prepare the protein mixture for separation, add 0.2 mL of binding buffer, and vortex to mix thoroughly. Then, centrifuge the mixture to remove any froth. To prepare the cation-exchange column, clamp it vertically onto a ring stand, and allow the resin to settle.
Open the top cap of the column, and then the bottom. Allow the buffer to drip out under gravity into a tube below.
To prepare the column, equilibrate it by loading a column-volume of buffer, in this case 0.3 mL. Let the buffer drip out of the column into a waste vial. After a column-volume of buffer has exited, repeat the equilibration step.
To run the experiment, place a 2-mL centrifuge tube labeled "Unbound 1" below the column. Carefully load 0.1 mL of the protein sample onto the top of the column.
Once the sample has been loaded, wash with a column-volume of buffer and allow it to flow all the way through. Repeat for a total of 5 washes. Collect each wash in its own tube, labeled "Unbound 1" through "5".?For the last 2 washes, centrifuge the column for 10 s to make sure that all unbound species wash off the column. Put the column in a new 2-mL centrifuge collection tube, and label it "Bound 1".?Load 1 column-volume of elution buffer on top of the column. Centrifuge for 10 s at 1,000 x g.
Repeat the elution step 2 more times to ensure collection of the bound analyte. Label the tubes "Bound 2" and "3".?Record any color changes or observations about the fractions.
In this example, hemoglobin and cytochrome C were separated. Hemoglobin has a pI of 6.8, while cytochrome C has a pI of 10.5. In the pH 8.1 buffer, hemoglobin is negatively charged and does not bind to the column. Conversely, cytochrome C is positively charged at pH 8.1 and binds to the column.
Hemoglobin, a brownish colored protein, was found in the unbound fractions, while cytochrome C, a reddish colored protein, was observed in the bound fraction.
There are many forms of liquid chromatography, each with different abilities to separate components of a mixture.
In this example, column chromatography was used to separate a mixture of single and double stranded DNA. Hydroxyapatite, or HA, is a crystalline form of calcium phosphate commonly use as a stationary phase due to its positively-charged calcium ions. In this case, the HA column was ideal for the separation of DNA as it can bind to DNA's negatively-charged backbone.
Another form of column chromatography frequently used to separate proteins is immobilized metal affinity chromatography, or IMAC. In IMAC, the stationary phase possesses a ligand with a metal ion, which binds to a histidine tag on the protein of interest.
All other components of the mixture exit the column. The protein is then eluted with a solution of imidazole, which has a similar structure to histidine, and binds more strongly with the metal ion.
A common application of column chromatography is high performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC. HPLC is widely used in analytical chemistry for both the identification and separation of biological and non-biological compounds in a mixture.
HPLC is similar to the column chromatography demonstrated in this video, except that it is automated, and operated at very high pressures. This enables the use of smaller stationary-phase beads, with a higher surface area to volume ratio. Thus, improved interactions between the stationary phase and components in the mobile phase are possible.
You've just watched JoVE's introduction to ion-exchange chromatography. You should now understand the concepts behind it, the 4 steps involved, and some related techniques.
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Q1: What is the difference between cation-exchange and anion-exchange chromatography?
Cation-exchange chromatography uses negatively-charged resin to bind positively-charged analytes, while anion-exchange chromatography uses positively-charged resin to bind negatively-charged analytes. The choice depends on the charge properties of your sample mixture and the analyte of interest. Selection of the appropriate resin type is critical for successful separation.
Q2: How does pH affect protein binding in ion-exchange chromatography?
Protein charge depends on pH relative to its isoelectric point (pI). At pH equal to the pI, the protein is neutral and won't bind. Above the pI, proteins are negatively charged; below it, they are positively charged. Buffer pH must be selected so the protein has the correct charge to bind to the resin effectively.
Q3: What are the four main steps in an ion-exchange chromatography procedure?
First, equilibrate the column with buffer to charge the resin. Second, load the sample in low-conductivity buffer so analytes bind based on charge. Third, wash with buffer to remove unbound components. Fourth, elute bound analytes using a salt gradient or high-salt buffer to recover the purified sample.
Q4: Why does salt concentration matter during elution in ion-exchange chromatography?
Salt ions compete with analytes for binding sites on the resin. Weakly bound molecules elute first at low salt concentrations, while strongly bound compounds require higher salt concentrations to disrupt ionic interactions and elute from the column. This allows selective recovery of analytes based on binding strength.
Q5: What types of resin are used in strong versus weak ion-exchange chromatography?
Strong cation-exchange resins feature sulfonic acid groups, while weak cation-exchange resins use carboxylic acids. Strong anion-exchange resins utilize quaternary amines, and weak anion-exchange resins use secondary or tertiary amines. Selection depends on sample properties and the desired separation outcome for your analyte.
Q6: How does ion-exchange chromatography compare to other separation techniques?
Ion-exchange chromatography separates based on charge and is more general than affinity chromatography, which requires specific antibodies for each analyte. Unlike high-performance liquid chromatography, which operates at high pressures with automated systems, ion-exchange uses gravity-driven flow and can be adapted for many proteins with different eluting conditions.
Q7: What is the role of buffer conductivity when loading samples onto an ion-exchange column?
Low-conductivity buffer is essential during sample loading because high salt concentrations cause charged species to compete with the sample for interactions with the resin. This competition reduces binding efficiency and separation quality, so the loading buffer must have minimal salt content to maximize analyte capture on the column.