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Avoiding Proteolysis During Protein Purification

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1485))

Abstract

All cells contain proteases which hydrolyze the peptide bonds between amino acids in a protein backbone. Typically, proteases are prevented from nonspecific proteolysis by regulation and by their physical separation into different subcellular compartments; however, this segregation is not retained during cell lysis, which is the initial step in any protein isolation procedure. Prevention of proteolysis during protein purification often takes the form of a two-pronged approach; firstly inhibition of proteolysis in situ, followed by the early separation of the protease from the protein of interest via chromatographical purification. Protease inhibitors are routinely used to limit the effect of the proteases before they are physically separated from the protein of interest via column chromatography. Here, commonly used approaches to reducing or avoiding proteolysis during protein purification and subsequent chromatography are reviewed.

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Correspondence to Barry J. Ryan .

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Ryan, B.J., Henehan, G.T. (2017). Avoiding Proteolysis During Protein Purification. In: Walls, D., Loughran, S. (eds) Protein Chromatography. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1485. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6412-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6412-3_4

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