Chromatographic behavior of mPEG-papaya proteinases conjugates examined on ion-exchange and hydrophobic gel media

The four cysteine proteinases, papain, chymopapain, caricain, and endoproteinase Gly-C were isolated and purified as the catalytically competent species from the commercially available latex of the tropical tree Carica papaya L. Their free thiol function (cysteine-25), which is essential for activity, was protected in the form of a mixed disulfide containing a 5 kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain. The second (nonessential) free thiol function (cysteine-117) of chymopapain was blocked similarly. Caricain was also derivatized through acylation of its amino functions by PEG chains (average: 15 moles of PEG per mole of enzyme). The chromatographic behavior of these conjugates was examined on ion-exchange and hydrophobic gels and compared to the chromatographic behavior of the unpegylated proteinases. The results indicated that charge-shielding effects by PEG chain(s), surrounding the different proteinases, plays(play) a key role in the course of separation of pegylated and unpegylated species by ion-exchange chromatography. Similarly, PEG chain(s) is(are) able to mask hydrophobic regions on the surface of the proteinases. However, the affinity showed by PEG itself for the hydrophobic ligands immobilized on the matrix is the preponderant factor determining the behavior of the PEG-proteinases conjugates on Fractogel TSKButyl-650.