Separation of apolipoprotein B subfractions by high performance gel permeation chromatography

Apolipoprotein B has previously been thought to be a homogeneous protein. Recently, it has been shown by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that it consists of several species with different molecular weights. The present paper reports the separation of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicron derived apolipoprotein B by high performance gel permeation chromatography in SDS. Apolipoprotein B subfractions B-100, B-48 and B-26 could be identified with molecular weights of 650 000, 278 000, 175 000 and with typical amino acid compositions of apolipoprotein B.