Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation

2.4.2.3.Synthetic supports

Synthetic support matrixes are polymers of plastics such as polyacrylamide, methacrylate and acrylic. They possess high mechanical strength and maintain high flow rates.

1. Polyacrylamide: Polyacrylamide beads contain a hydrocarbon structural framework with carboxamide side chains, which are chemically modified to acyl groups and used to attach protein ligands to the beads.

2. Methacrylate: In methacrylate beads, ligand is coupled through OH groups present on the surface of the beads. These are used for hydrophobic interaction separations of proteins and peptides.

3. Acrylic: In oxirane acrylic beads, ligand immobilization is done through activation of oxirane groups on the bead matrix.