Isolation of phosphoproteins by immobilized metal (Fe 3+) affinity chromatography

Phosphoproteins and phosphoamino acids bind to ferric ions immobilized on iminodiacetate-agarose gel and can be eluted by increasing pH or by introducing phosphate ions to the eluant. Some other metals were found to resemble iron with regard to the interaction with protein-bound phosphate and phosphoamino acids. These observations were utilized to develop purification procedures for phosphoproteins. Hen egg albumin (ovalbumin) was fractionated into three components of varying phosphate contents. Porcine pepsin was purified in a similar manner.