Bioskin as an affinity matrix for the separation of glycoproteins

Bioskin is a natural product produced by a mixed culture of Acetobacter xyl inum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. pombe cultured on media containing su crose. It is of fibrillar nature able to retain some proteins, such as cyto chrome c, by adsorption, and mainly composed of glucosamine and N-acetyl-D- glucosamine. This makes it possible that, at an adequate pH value, proteins charged as polyanionic molecules, such as catalase, can be retained by ion ic adsorption using the positively charged amino groups of the matrix. In a ddition, bioskin can also be used as an affinity matrix to retain glycoprot eins able to perform specific affinity reactions with the amino sugars of t he matrix, such as invertase, fetuin or ovalbumin. Its possible use as a ch romatographic support is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.