Clarification of protein precipitate suspensions using anionic polymeric flocculants
AssigneeMonsanto Technology LLC
InventorMark L. Chivers
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Abstract
Protein suspensions comprising soluble and insoluble components are purified via flocculation with anionic polymers, such as polyacrylamides, potato starch, or modified cellulose. The procedure improves the efficiency of solid/liquid separations and can minimize or eliminate the requirement for centrifugation and/or filtration in large scale biotechnological processes. The method is particularly well suited for the purification and clarification of protein suspensions containing soluble somatotropin monomer using polyacrylamide and polysaccharide flocculants.
Claims35
A method for separating insoluble contaminants from an aqueous ST protein suspension, containing soluble somatotropin monomer, comprising:
- a) adding to the ST protein suspension an anionic polymer in an amount and under conditions effective to cause the flocculation of the insoluble contaminants, and
- b) separating the flocculated insoluble contaminants from the supernatant containing soluble somatotropin monomer.
A method for the recovery of somatotropin monomer which comprises:
- a) obtaining a mixture of somatotropin proteins comprising somatotropin monomer and somatotropin oligomer in aqueous solution at a pH greater than about 7;
- b) producing an ST protein suspension containing soluble somatotropin monomer by precipitating a major portion of the somatotropin oligomer from the solution while maintaining a major portion of somatotropin monomer in solution by reducing the pH of the solution to less than about 6.5;
- c) adding to the ST protein suspension an anionic polymer in an amount and under conditions effective to cause the flocculation of the precipitated proteins;
- d) separating the flocculated material from the solution of somatotropin monomer;
- and
- e) recovering the somatotropin monomer solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.