[Increased yields of insulin by recycling of non-combined insulin chains]

The yield of insulin by the combination of reduced A and B chains is increased from 15% to 33-34% if the non-insulin-containing fractions of the gel filtration are isolated and used for further combinations (recycling). Crude insulin recovered by gel filtration can be highly purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Lower yields of insulin were obtained on recombination of chains which had been recycled five times or more. Sulfur analyses show a loss of cystine sulfur. The occurrance of lanthionine and lysinoalanine indicates an alkaline destruction of cystine/cysteine during the repeated combination steps.