RAPID ANALYSIS OF BIOPOLYMERS ON MODIFIED NONPOROUS POLYSTYRENE - DIVINYLBENZENE PARTICLES

The use of short columns packed with alkylated non-porous 2.1 mum poly styrene - divinylbenzene particles has enabled the efficient separatio n of proteins, oligonucleotides, and DNA fragments in less than 60 sec onds. An increase in the flow-rate resulted in only a minor reduction in the resolution of the proteins. Careful temperature control and sma ll gradient dead volume were essential if reproducible quantitative re sults were to be achieved. Analysis at elevated temperatures not only reduced the viscosity of the eluents and, hence, column back-pressure but also resulted in higher column efficiency. The best resolution of proteins was achieved by performing the separation at 80-degrees-C whe reas the optimum temperatures for the separation of oligonucleotides a nd DNA fragments ranged from 40-50-degrees-C. High speed analysis was used both to control the purity of oligonucleotides following automate d solid-phase synthesis and to evaluate the expression of multidrug re sistance genes in patients suffering from chronic lymphatic leukemia.