DEAE Cellulose Chromatography is a technique commonly used in biochemistry and molecular biology to separate, purify, and study various biological molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids based on their charge properties.
DEAE stands for diethylaminoethyl, which refers to a positively charged chemical group (quaternary ammonium) attached to a cellulose matrix. The cellulose matrix acts as the stationary phase of the chromatography system, while the DEAE group imparts a positive charge to the stationary phase.
The separation process begins by loading a mixture of biological molecules onto a DEAE cellulose column. The sample is applied in a buffer solution that contains various salt ions to control the binding strength of the molecules to the matrix. Molecules that carry a net negative charge, such as DNA or RNA, will be attracted to and bind to the positively charged DEAE cellulose matrix, while neutral or positively charged molecules will flow through the column.
To elute the bound molecules, a gradient of increasing salt concentration is applied to disrupt the ionic interactions between the biological molecules and the DEAE cellulose matrix. Consequently, molecules that bound more strongly will require higher salt concentrations to be released from the matrix, resulting in their separation based on their charge properties.
DEAE cellulose chromatography is an efficient and versatile technique allowing the purification and characterization of charged biomolecules from complex mixtures. It has been widely used in research laboratories and industrial settings for the isolation of proteins, DNA, RNA, and other charged molecules, enabling their subsequent analysis, modification, or further downstream applications.
