ABSTRACT
Development of efficient and fast purification protocols in bioseparation has always been a challenging task. The advent of recombinant DNA technology has rendered it technically feasible to produce virtually any protein of interest. However, efficient separation of the desired protein from crude mixtures is recognized as the crucial factor in deciding the commercial viability of producing that protein for biotechnological applications. All bioseparation processes include three stages:
1. The preferential partitioning of target substance and impurities between two phases (liquid-liquid or liquid-solid)
2. The mechanical separation of the phases (e.g., separation of the stationary and mobile phase in a chromatographic column)
3. Recovery of the target substance from the enriched phase
The demand in bioseparation has been to reduce the purification steps so as to increase the yields and decrease costs. The strategies in general have been (a) to use methods that eliminate clarification techniques, such as centrifugation or filtration, to remove particulate matter such as cellular debris and instead directly proceed with a separation step or (b) to use highly selective techniques such as affinity separations as early as possible in the purification process.
