Design of a coil satellite centrifuge and its performance on counter-current chromatographic separation of 4-methylumbelliferyl sugar derivatives with polar organic-aqueous two-phase solvent systems.

A new high-speed counter-current chromatograph, named coil satellite centrifuge (CSC), was designed and fabricated in our laboratory. The CSC apparatus produces the satellite motion such that the coiled column simultaneously rotates around the sun axis (the angular velocity, ω1), the planet axis (ω2) and the satellite axis (the central axis of the column) (ω3). In order to achieve this triplicate rotary motion without twisting of the flow tube, the rotation of each axis was determined by the following formula: ω1=ω2+ω3. This relation enabled to lay out the flow tube without twisting by the simultaneous rotation of three axes. The flow tube was introduced from the bottom side of the apparatus into the sun axis of the first rotary frame reaching the upper side of the planet axis and connected to the column in the satellite axis. The performance of the apparatus was examined on separation of 4-methylumbelliferyl (MU) sugar derivatives as test samples with organic-aqueous two-phase solvent systems composed of ethyl acetate/1-butanol/water (3:2:5, v/v) for lower phase mobile and (1:4:5, v/v) for upper phase mobile. With lower phase mobile, five 4-MU sugar derivatives including ß-D-cellobioside (Cel), ß-D-glucopyranoside, α-D-mannopyranoside, ß-D-fucopyranoside and α-L-fucopyranoside (α-L-Fuc) were separated with the combined rotation around each axis at counterclockwise (CCW) (ω1) - CCW (ω2) - CCW (ω3) by the flow tube distribution. With upper phase mobile, three 4-MU sugar derivatives including α-L-Fuc, ß-D-galactopyranoside and Cel were separated with the combined rotation around each axis at clockwise (CW) (ω1) - CW (ω2) - CW (ω3) by the flow tube distribution. A series of experiments on peak resolution and stationary phase retention revealed that better partition efficiencies were obtained at the flow rate of 0.5 mL/min (column 1) and 0.8 mL/min (column 2) for lower phase mobile and 0.2 mL/min (column 1) and 0.4 mL/min (column 2) for upper phase mobile when using the left-handed multilayer coil (total capacity: 57.0 mL for column 1 and 75.0 mL for column 2) under the rotation speeds of approximately ω1=300 rpm, ω2=150 rpm and ω3=150 rpm.

Countercurrent chromatographic separation of proteins using an eccentric coiled column with synchronous and nonsynchronous type-J planetary motions.

Protein separation was performed using the high-speed countercurrent chromatograph (HSCCC) at both synchronous and nonsynchronous type-J planetary motions. The partition efficiency was evaluated with two different column configurations, eccentric coil and toroidal coil, on the separation of a set of stable protein samples including cytochrome C, myoglobin and lysozyme with a polymer phase system composed of 12.5% (w/w) polyethylene glycol 1000 and 12.5% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate. Better peak resolution was obtained by the eccentric coil than by the toroidal coil using either lower or upper phase as the mobile phase. The peak resolution was further improved using the eccentric coil by the nonsynchronous type-J planetary motion with the combination of 1066 rpm of column rotation and 1000 rpm of revolution.

Partition efficiencies of newly fabricated universal high-speed counter-current chromatograph for separation of two different types of sugar derivatives with organic-aqueous two-phase solvent systems.

A new design of universal high-speed counter-current chromatograph (HSCCC) was fabricated in our laboratory. It holds a set of four column holders symmetrically around the rotary frame at a distance of 11.2cm from the central axis. By engaging the stationary gear on the central axis of the centrifuge to the planetary gears on the column holder shaft through a set of idle gears, two pairs of diagonally located column holders simultaneously rotate about their own axes in the opposite directions: one forward (type-J planetary motion) and the other backward (type-I planetary motion) each synchronously with the revolution. Using the eccentric coil assembly, partition efficiencies produced by these two planetary motions were compared on the separation of two different types of sugar derivatives (4-methylumbelliferyl and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl sugar derivatives) using organic-aqueous two-phase solvent systems composed of n-hexane/ethyl acetate/1-butanol/methanol/water and aqueous 0.1M sodium tetraborate, respectively. With lower phase mobile, better peak resolution was obtained by the type-J forward rotation for both samples probably due to higher retention of the stationary phase. With upper phase mobile, however, similar peak resolutions were obtained between these two planetary motions for both sugar derivatives. The overall results indicate that the present universal HSCCC is useful for counter-current chromatographic separation since each planetary motion has its specific applications: e.g., vortex CCC by the type-I planetary motion and HSCCC by the type-J planetary motion both for separation of various natural and synthetic products.

New small-scale cross-axis coil planet centrifuge. Partition efficiency and application to purification of bullfrog ribonuclease.

The new small-scale cross-axis coil planet centrifuge (X-axis CPC) previously designed and fabricated in our laboratory has a distinctive feature such that four separation columns of similar weight are mounted symmetrically around the rotary frame to achieve stable balancing of the centrifuge under a high revolution speed. In this column layout, neighboring columns must be rotated in the opposite direction if viewed from the center of the centrifuge to avoid twisting the interconnecting flow tubes. The effect of rotational direction of the columns on the partition efficiency was evaluated with separation of a set of test samples such as cytochrome c, myoglobin, and lysozyme using an aqueous-aqueous polymer phase system composed of 12.5% (w/w) polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 and 12.5% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate under 1000 rpm of column revolution. A series of experiments was performed using a set of two diagonally located columns (connected in series) each consisting of five coiled layers of 1 mm I.D. with a total capacity of 27.0 mL. Both right- and left-handed coils were tested each under the optimized conditions for choice of mobile phase and direction of the column rotation so that the satisfactory volume of the mobile phase was retained in the column by the aid of Archimedean screw effect. The results of these studies showed that one particular combination of handedness of the coil and direction of the rotation yielded the best peak resolution for each mobile phase. In order to demonstrate the capability of the apparatus, the purification of ribonuclease (RNase) from the extract of bullfrog egg, sialic acid binding lectin (cSBL), was carried out using both organic-aqueous and aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems. When using the 16.0% (w/w) PEG 1000-6.3% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate-6.3% (w/w) monobasic potassium phosphate system, cSBL was successfully separated from other proteins present in the extract while commercial RNase A was eluted at near the solvent front by the lower phase mobile. The cSBL retained its native RNase activity. The overall results demonstrated that the present new small-scale X-axis CPC is useful for the purification of bioactive compounds without loss of their native activities.

New small-scale cross-axis coil planet centrifuge. The design of the apparatus and its application to counter-current chromatographic separation of proteins with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems.

The cross-axis coil planet centrifuge (X-axis CPC) is useful for partitioning macromolecules with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems. The floor model we have built with a pair of separation columns had some shortcomings such as requirement of large space, short life of the flow tubes, and difficulty in installing columns. In order to improve the partition efficiency and the utility of counter-current chromatography (CCC), a new small-scale X-axis CPC was designed and fabricated in our laboratory. The down-sizing of the apparatus was done by reducing the scale to about 1/2 of our original model of X-1.5L type with several improvements. Performance of the apparatus was evaluated on protein separation using an aqueous-aqueous polymer phase system composed of polyethylene glycol 1000 and dibasic potassium phosphate with four multilayer coiled columns. A series of experiments revealed that the combination of right- and left-handed coils produced the best partition efficiencies for both lower and upper mobile phases by selecting the revolution direction. The overall results indicate that the head-tail elution mode substantially affects to the peak resolution and stationary phase retention. This new X-axis CPC would be useful for the separation of various kinds of biologically active compounds.

Protein separation by nonsynchronous coil planet centrifuge with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems.

Counter-current chromatographic separation of proteins was performed using a rotary-seal-free nonsynchronous coil planet centrifuge (CPC) fabricated in our laboratory. This apparatus has a unique feature that allows a freely adjustable rotational rate of the coiled separation column at a given revolution speed. The separation was performed using a set of stable proteins including cytochrome c, myoglobin and lysozyme with two different types of aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems, i.e., PEG (polyethylene glycol) 1000-dibasic potassium phosphate, and PEG 8000-dextran T500 in 5 mM potassium phosphate buffer. Using a set of multilayer coiled columns prepared from 0.8 mm I.D. PTFE tubing with different volumes (11, 24, 39 ml), the effect of the column capacity on the partition efficiency was investigated under a given set of experimental conditions. Among these experiments, the best separation of proteins was attained using the 39 ml capacity column with a 12.5% (w/w) PEG 1000-12.5% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate system at 10 rpm of coil rotation under 800 rpm. With lower phase mobile at 0.2 ml/min in the head-to-tail elution, the resolution between cytochrome c and myoglobin was 1.6 and that between myoglobin and lysozyme, 1.9. With upper phase mobile in the head-to-tail elution, the resolution between lysozyme and myoglobin peaks was 1.5. In these two separations, the stationary phase retention was 35.0 and 33.3%, respectively. Further studies were carried out using a pair of eccentric coil assemblies with 0.8 mm I.D. PTFE tubing at a total capacity of 20 ml. A comparable resolution was obtained using both lower and upper phases as a mobile phase in a head-to-tail elution. The results of our studies demonstrate that the nonsynchronous CPC is useful for protein separation with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems.