Fractionation of of proteolytic enzymes by affinity chromatography on sepharose aminocaproyl proflavin

The serine proteinases trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and acrosin bind to the proflavin resin, the sulfhydryl proteinases ficin, bromelain, and papain are retarded by the resin, whereas most proteins and enzymes tested are not bound. Elution of the bound activities is accomplished NaCl or by variation from the pH optimum of the enzyme. Commercially available enzymes that are bound or retarded are easily further purified by the column. The acrosin activity of sperm acrosomal extracts is separated into bound and unbound activities. Acrosin is purified 120-fold from sperm acrosomal extracts in a single step, yielding a specific activity of 96.