Integration of aqueous two-phase extraction and affinity precipitation for the purification of lactate dehydrogenase

Integration of extraction in aqueous two-phase system and affinity precipitation was investigated as a technique for purification of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from porcine muscle extract. An enteric coating polymer, Eudragit S 100, which can be made reversibly soluble and insoluble by change in pH was used as the ligand carrier. The ligand used was Cibacron blue 3GA. The polymer is nearly totally partitioned to the top phase (> 98%) in PEG-dextran aqueous two-phase system. The enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase, was first spontaneously partitioned to the bottom phase in a 6% (w/w) PEG 8000-8% (w/w) dextran T250 phase system. New PEG phase and Eudragit-dye were then added to the bottom phase, which helped in extraction of LDH to the top phase. After a washing step with a fresh bottom phase, Eudragit-dye-target protein affinity complex was precipitated out from the top phase by lowering the pH to 5.1. The enzyme was recovered by treatment of the complex with 0.5 M NaCl with a yield of 54% and a specific activity of 245 units/mg. The purification of LDH by this procedure was better than that obtained by a single step of affinity partitioning.