The application of DNA-cellulose chromatography in the isolation of immunoglobulin M and complement component...

By utilising the ability of some anionic serum proteins to bind to DNA-cellulose, at physiological pH and ionic strength, two such proteins have been purified and identified as immunoglobulin M (IgM) and complement component C4b-binding protein (C4BP). The method entails ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by QAE-Sephadex, DNA-cellulose and Sephacryl S-300 chromatographic steps. Fractionation of the anionic proteins eluting from QAE-Sephadex over a selected range of ionic strength has afforded IgM which was characterised electrophoretically and immunochemically. A mixture containing IgM complexed with C4BP has also been obtained by utilizing fractions eluted from QAE-Sephadex at higher ionic strength. C4BP can be isolated from this mixture by using immunoaffinity chromatography to remove IgM.