ANTIGENIC BEER MACROMOLECULES - AN EXPERIMENTAL SURVEY OF PURIFICATION METHODS

The macromolecules of an antigen‐rich beer fraction X were characterized by column chromatography. Elution profiles of protein, carbohydrate and immunochemically distinct antigens were recorded after separation on gels of Sephacryl, Sephadex, Sepharose, DEAE‐Sephadex, SP‐Sephadex, Bio‐gel HT hydroxylapatite, Con A‐Sepharose, and two types of antibody‐Sepharose. The elution patterns demonstrate that beer antigens, originating from barley or yeast macromolecules, can be separated from carbohydrates, from ‘proteose‐like’ material and from each other in a few preparative chromatographic steps. Affinity chromatography on a column of immobilized antibodies towards fraction X indicated that the antigenic material constitutes about 25% of the fraction. More than 20% of the protein in fraction X seems to originate from a distinct barley protein Z. 1979 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling