Selective Affinity Separation of Yeast Alcohol Dehydrogenase by Reverse Micelles with Unbound Triazine Dye

The reversed micelles were formed with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant and n-hexanol as cosolvent in the CTAB (50mmol L-1)/hexanol (15% by volume)/hexane system. Cibacron Blue 3GA (CB) as an affinity ligand in the aqueous phase was directly introduced to the reversed micelles with electrostatic interaction between anionic CB and cationic surfactant. High molecular weight (Mr) protein, yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH, Mr = 141000) from baker’s yeast, has been purified using the affinity reversed micelles by the phase transfer method. Various parameters, such as CB concentration, pH and ionic strength, on YADH forward and backward transfer were studied. YADH can be transferred into and out from the reversed micelles under mild conditions (only by regulation of solution pH and salt concentration) with the successful recovery of most YADH activity. Both forward and backward extractions occurred when the aqueous phase pH>pI with electrostatic attraction between YADH and CTAB. Th