Vol. 39, No. 3, 1970
BIOCHEMICAL
PARTIAL
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
PURIFICATION
-OF BOVINE J. P.
SULFA
TION
FACTOR
Liberti
Department of Biochemistry Medical College of Virginia Health Sciences Division Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia 232 19
Received --Summa
March
10, 1970
ry
A method for the partial purification of sulfation factor (S. F. ) from bovine serum utilizing the techniques of ultrafiltration and molecular sieve chromatography is presented. The method is simple and approximately 50% recoveries of the initial S. F. activity have A 400-fold purification is obtained when been consistantly obtained, the potency is based on biuret reactive material; on a dry weight basis, a 125-fold purification. From the data presented herein, it appears, that serum S. F. is similar in size to the muscle S. F. It is of Hall but considerably smaller than that reported by others. suggested that freezing and thawing of the samples prior to and during the purification procedures may dissociate S. F. from a large protein or macromolecule which would lead to artificially high molecular weight assignments. Sulfation
factor
the conversion Sulfation
(S. F. ) is a constituent
of chondroitin
activity
to chondroitin
is related
to pituitary
in acromegalics
and depressed
growth
hormone
is the pituitary
vivo,
it apparently
in modulating S. F.
is unknown,
(“active
core”)
In a recent
by cartilage.
homeostasis
since
dwarfs
(1).
it is elevated Although
stimulates
since
growth
hormone
is ineffective
(2).
Although
the nature
it may
be a catabolite
it has been
postulated
communication
stimulates
which
in vitro --
hormone
which
agent
activity
of growth
sulfate
in hypopituitary
is not S. F.
sulfation
of blood
that
sulfation
-in
of
(3).
a scheme
356
yielding
a 65-fold
purification
BIOCHEMICAL
Vol. 39, No. 3, 1970
of S. F.
from
acromegalic
We wish A 400-fold
to report
plasma on our
purification
ultrafiltration
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
was
efforts
has been
and molecular
presented
to purify
obtained
sieve
(4).
S. F.
utilizing
from
bovine
serum.
the techniques
of
chromatography.
Methods Bovine Serum
blood
was
-lo0
was
prepared
in volumes
in a Model
by centrifugation
were
in Table
the filtration
chromatography
The
S. F.
activity
incorporation
corrected
biuret
for
cell
rats
(5).
endogenous
G-15
was
chondroitin
activity.
kept
and batches
)
in ice during fraction
subjected
to molecular
equilibrated
and eluted
were
at -10”.
stored using
was
the --in vitro
cartilage
activity
Protein
Mass.
BS-2F
by costal
sulfation
at
of membranes
assayed
sulfate The
slowly
The
filtrates
cartilage)
day and stored
was
and then
All
in ice.
, Lexington,
at 4-6’.
Sephadex
formate.
kept
thawed
Corp.
by lyophilization
of 35 S into
were
a series
(Amicon
collected
(c/m/mg
hypophysectomized
was
ultrafiltration
employing
0. 001 M ammonium
was
The
2-fold
with
serum
through
cell
1.
which
on the same
ultrafiltered
and the filtrate
concentrated
from
The
401 ultrafiltration
as depicted
sieve
in vessels
of 200 mls.
of 200 to 400 mls
was
collected
obtained
of test
determined
samples by the
reaction.
Results A flow activities
obtained
50 membrane the overall activity components
diagram
of the purification are
shown
represents procedure
and about having
in Table
the most representing
a 200-fold a molecular
scheme 1.
employed
Fractionation
effective
single
a recovery
purification. weight 357
and
The
the sulfation
through step
the XM-
purification
of 80% of the initial majority
> 50, 000 are
of serum retained
by the
in
Vol. 39, No. 3, 1970
Table
BIOCHEMICAL
I - Summary
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNlCATlONS
of Purification
Procedure
Bovine Serum (lOO%:l. XM-50 membrane; 1 70 psi 502
(lO%:O.
1)
positive more
(BS-SOR) material
viscous
passed
8o)’
o)
approximately
The
water,
resultant
is clear membrane.
Essentially
(BS-ZOF).
Subsequent
through The
a UM-2
majority
based
(85-fold
of the initial obtained
positive
upon
material
purification
activity.
filtrate
activity
The
chromatography
for
of the total
tacky
resided
280 rnp are
on dry
358
was
through
a UM-10
was
retained.
(BS-2F),
and
purification
and the S. F. The
having
passed
and contained
1.
found
activity
finally
a 400-fold
in Fig.
contained
activity
substance
weight)
was
of the remaining
S. F.
was
absorbance shown
BS-50F
in the filtrate
represented
based
most
(BS-1OF)
although
(BS-20R)
ultrafiltration
and a white,
of the S. F.
The
all the S. F.
of l/5
The
membrane
on biuret
of S. F.
of 80.
BS-SOF,
retentate
and accounted
in retention
activity
filtrate,
The
material.
a specific
activity
95% of the biuret
and colorless.
biuret
resulted
1000
Chromatography G-15 Sephadex
S. F.
membrane
jyT-mqG;
F=filtrate
no measurable
in the filtrate
lo,ooo
vated
a UM-20
positive
q;.;
0:
of serum.
through
20,000
0:
2~(oq
and represent
than
Factor
O)a 50, OOOb
0:
a Values in parentheses represent % Recovery and Relative Specific A ctivity/mg biuret positive material b A pproximate mol. wt. cutoff of membrane Abbreviations: Rzretentate;
Sulfation
50F ;80%:210) 1 UM-20 membrane; 50 psi
2°2;;~;;oq
membrane
of Bovine
45% activity
fractions
con-
BIOCHEMICAL
Vol. 39, No. 3, 1970
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
GEL FILTRATION OF SULFATION FACTOR ON SEPHACEX G-15
A280 hp)
---
A2w SuIfulion
05 Activity
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0 EFFLUENT
Legend
to Fig.
(ml)
1
Molecular sieve chromatography of S. F. 95 mls of twice concentrated BS-2F was applied to a Sephadex G-15 column (2.0 x 40 cm) and eluted with 0. 001 M ammonium formate. The flow rate was 10 ml per hr and 5 ml fractions were collected. All operations were done at 4”. Each fraction was lyophilized, dissolved in Hz0 and aliquots were assayed for S. F. activity.
taining
S. F.
after
the void
activity volume.
positive
tests
of S. F.
on the basis
although
small
fold
were
confined
The
to ninhydrin.
purification
which
No increase
of biuret
molecular was
eluates
to a single
obtained
possessed
was
contaminants
on a dry
which
was
S. F.
activity
in the relative
reaction
weight
peak
noted were
weight
basis
eluted
specific
in these
gave activity
fractions
removed.
A 125-
however.
Discussion The
technique
of ultrafiltration
offers 359
a method
for
the relatively
BIOCHEMICAL
Vol. 39, No. 3,197O
crude
separation
methods ease
of fractionation.
which
S. F.
of serum
is of extreme
which
effects
that
can arise
is the slow
rate
membrane ml/min leakage
after
continuous
tration
steps
in the BS-2F
molecular
weight for
no similar
reported’that
based
65-fold relative
on a dry
weight
of the initial
and
represents
membrane
S. F.
basis,
concentration activity.
observed
subsequent flow
very
even ultrafil-
rates
were
>30% It would
on biuret
that
(6).
on the dry
yields
in the assay be of great
physiologic 360
Calculated
on the UM-2
In mixing serum of serum
results
experiments, was
inhibited
to a final
in a reduction
importance
(4)
of the isolated
retained
addition
system
weight
since
Wyk et al,
purification.
activity.
that
Van
material.
and of unfractionated
It is known
material
a 125-fold
the substance S. F.
recovered This
positive
of the starting
procedure
was
purification.
is proteinaceous
weight
inhibited
of BS-2F
material. of
our
to note
completely
by this
to
However,
activity
a 400-fold
of S. F.
to the dry
activity
decreased
rapid
S. F.
based
purification
It is of interest
i. e. using
was The
are
). one-half
material
as
In addition
increased.
since
such
in ultrafiltration
of 2 ml/min
proteins
problem
relative
and salts
fractionation,
72 hours.
with
and the deleterious
solvents
of the retentate
other
amounts.
encountered
rate
over
material
we encountered
flow
ultrafiltration
it has been
S. F.
initial
is an approximation
their
isolating
the use of organic
The
fraction
value
are
in the initial
posed
can be handled
in minute
of filtration
Approximately
100%
is present
drawback
of large
advantages
when
One definite
( >5 ml/min.
the S. F.
volumes
as the viscosity
little
latter
Large importance
with
XM-50.
obtained
has definite
of pH and temperature
circumvented.
0.3
which
in all likelihood
no extremes
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
of
if the in-
BIOCHEMICAL
Vol. 39, No. 3,197O
hibition
by BS-ZR
The
serum
and thawed serum
employed
at least
which
once
distributed
respectively 30,000
to 50, 000.
frozen
and thawed
that
the molecule
that
several
would
may
This
data
7) which
indicated
(3,
( (20,
have
000 molecular
and a molecule interesting
that
may
group
have
isolated
In both zone
those
et al.
a skeletal studies,
of the high-voltage We are
to characterize
presently S. F.
S. F.
S. F.
bound.
(unpublished muscle
It is known
as thyroxine
and
An explanation
for
a small
sulfation activity
by repeated the conflicting
molecule
a dissociable In this
molecule
connection
it is
assigned
the procedures were
cited
in reference
substance
which
resided
a molecular employed similar 4) who
is a ‘peptide’.
in the identical
electrophoretogram. processing and to study
larger further
substance, 361
quantities
of serum
the sulfation
these
to a transport
for
chromatography results
the sulfation
weight).
(4) tentatively
although
to Sephadex
indicate
account
molecule,
from
Sephadex
bound
as being
of
of S. F.
can be dissociated could
Van Wyk et al.
by this
of Hall
which
be protein
of -> 20, 000 to plasma subsequent
in blood
a large
weight
such
conjugates,
explanation
weight),
which
to note
to those
hormones
or as an aggregate
and thawing.
patterns
molecular
exists
the S. F.
in the range
on G-15
(15000
S. F.
freezing
size
separation
as protein
be that
sera,
in the 50R and 50F fractions,
a molecular
weight
in blood
macromolecule
and 800/o-15%
of
and unpredictable
unfrozen
and its behavior
molecular
frozen
Ultrafiltration
utilizing
small
has been
in a different
The ultrafiltration
low
discrepancies
results
indicate
serum
scheme
to ultrafiltration.
studies
is quite
occur
purification
prior
607’0~40%
which
S. F.
in this
In several
cortisone
for
is not so treated
fractionation. activity
is specific
AND BlOPHYSlCAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
in order
inhibitory
Vol. 39, No. 3,197O
BIOCHEMICAL
AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Acknowledgements --Expert technical assistance was provided by Mrs. Dorothy E. This study has been supported by research grant AM 12892 Wood. from the National Institutes of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases.
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Engel, Pincus,
F. L. and Kostyo, G. and Thiman,
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Van Wyk, J. J. , Hall, K., Biophys. Acta 192, 560.
5.
Salmon, (1963)
J.
W. D., Jr., Lab. Clin.
Kouman, J. and Doughaday, Phys. 5, 152.
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Doughaday, Ed. Res.,
E.
J. L. (1964) K. V. Academic
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W. H.
Bower, P. H., Med. -’61 120.
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W. H. Pincus,
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