Abstract: The invention is a method of producing a cross-linked polymeric support having a multimodal pore structure, which comprises providing a degradable initiator molecule; providing an organic phase comprising said initiator molecule, radically polymerizable monomers and a porogen in a solvent; providing an aqueous phase comprising a transition metal catalyst; suspension polymerization of the organic phase by adding a ligand, co-ordinating to the transition metal in the aqueous phase to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a primary pore structure and comprising initiator molecule; and subjecting the support obtained to degrading conditions to remove the initiator molecule from within the support to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a secondary pore structure in addition to the primary pore structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of separating a target from a liquid, which includes providing a polymer in an aqueous liquid, which polymer comprises at least one hydrophobic portion; contacting the polymer-containing liquid with the liquid comprising the target; applying a stimulus to the resulting mixture; and maintaining it until a reversible phase separation is obtained. One phase is polymer-rich and contains target(s) and another phase is polymer-poor. By either maintaining the stimulus, or applying a different stimulus and maintaining it, the polymer-rich phase is transformed into a substantially solid phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrophoresis and in particular electrophoretic gel composites used for separation of biomolecules, such as proteins and peptides. More particularly, the invention relates to gel composites with improved oxygen barrier properties. The invention provides an electrophoretic gel composite, comprising a) a polymer support; b) an electrophoretic hydrogel; and c) an oxygen barrier film between the polymer support and the hydrogel. Preferably the hydrogel is produced in the presence of an oxygen scavenger and/or under inert atmosphere. The improved oxygen barrier properties make the gel composites excellent for electrophoresis without artifacts in the gel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrophoresis and in particular low fluorescent electrophoretic supports for hydrogels used for separation of fluorescence labelled biomolecules. More particularly, the invention relates to use of a polymer having the following formula: wherein n=0-100 000 R1, R2, R3 and R4=H, F, Cl, Br, I, methyl groups or non-aromatic hydrocarbon chains (optionally containing branches or cyclic structures) such as ethyl, ethenyl, propyl, isopropyl, propenyl, butyl, branched butyl, butenyl, cyclobutyl, pentyl, branched pentyl, pentenyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, branched hexyl, cyclohexyl; X, Y=methylene groups or non-aromatic hydrocarbon chains (optionally containing branches or cyclic structures) such as ethylene, ethenylene, propylene, isopropylene, propenylene, butylene, branched butylene, butenylene; Y can optionally be absent as a low fluorescent support film of an electrophoretic hydrogel for slab gel electrophoresis.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method of electrophoretic separation of protein and/or peptide components of a sample in a convection stabilized medium. More specifically, the method comprises the steps to contact the sample with the separation medium; to apply a voltage across said medium; and to observe the results by analysis of one or more sections of the separation medium. In the present method, a disulphide-comprising compound is added before or during the procedure to make an excess of reactive disulphide groups accessible to react with the cysteine groups of the proteins and/or peptides all through the separation procedure. The present invention also relates to electrophoretic separation media that comprises reactive disulphide groups, such as polyacrylamide gels, and the use of a solution that comprises reactive disulphide groups to pretreat an electrophoretic separation medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of isolating target compounds from a liquid, which comprises at a first pH, contacting the liquid with a separation medium that exhibits surface-localised pH-responsive polymers in to adsorb the target compound via hydrophobic interactions; and adding an eluent, which is of a second pH and provides a conformational change of said pH-responsive polymers to release said compounds. The elution is advantageously performed by a pH gradient and/or by a salt gradient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying a polypeptide using a class of novel, water-stable reagents. More specifically, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of (a) derivatization in an aqueous solution of the N-terminus of the polypeptide, or the N-termini of one or more peptides of the polypeptide, with at least one acidic reagent which comprises a sulfonyl moiety coupled to an activated acid moiety to provide one or more peptide derivatives; (b) analyzing at least one such derivative using a mass spectrometric technique to provide a fragmentation pattern; and (c) interpreting the fragmentation pattern. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a kit for identifying a polypeptide by a mass spectrometric technique, which kit comprises at least one acidic reagent comprising a sulfonyl moiety coupled to an activated acid moiety in a container together with suitable means for analysis of the fragmentation pattern obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acrylic monomer defined by formula (I): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are H or CH3; R4 and R5 are H or OH; R6 and R7 are H or OH; R8 is H or CH3; m is 2–4; and n and p are 0 or 1. The invention also relates to a polymer comprised of repeated such monomer units as well as a separation matrix prepared thereof.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a separation gel, which comprises the steps: (i) providing a polymerization mixture containing a first monomer (I) having a polymerizable unsaturated structure and a second monomer (II) comprising two or more polymerizable unsaturated structures and an initiator, and (ii) polymerizing the mixture. The method is characterized in that monomer (I) is an N-vinyl carboxamide; and that (a) the initiating system for the polymerization comprises a UV photoinitiator and polymerization is initiated by UV irradiating the mixture at a wave-length appropriate for the initiator, and/or (b) preselecting monomer (I) and monomer (II) to have comparable reactivities to become incorporated into the growing polymer. A kit for use in the production of an electrophoretic gel is also described.

Abstract: The invention is a method of producing a cross-linked polymeric support having a multimodal pore structure, which comprises providing a degradable initiator molecule; providing an organic phase comprising said initiator molecule, radically polymerisable monomers and a porogen in a solvent; providing an aqueous phase comprising a transition metal catalyst; suspension polymerisation of the organic phase by adding a ligand, co-ordinating to the transition metal in the aqueous phase to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a primary pore structure and comprising initiator molecule; and subjecting the support obtained to degrading conditions to remove the initiator molecule from within the support to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a secondary pore structure in addition to the primary pore structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acrylic monomer defined by formula (1): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are H or CH3; R4 and R5 are H or OH; R6 and R7 are H or OH; R8 is H or CH3; m is 2-4; and n and p are 0 or 1. The invention also relates to a polymer comprised of repeated such monomer units as well as a separation matrix prepared thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the quantitative determination of the amount of one or more biomolecules, such as proteins or polypeptides, in one or more samples by utilising sample unique tagging reagents. More specifically, the method comprises steps of providing at least two samples; reacting biomolecules present in each sample with a sample unique mass tagging reagent to provide sample unique mass tagged forms thereof; combining tagged forms present in each sample to provide a single sample; coseparating, from the resulting sample, a mix of mass tagged forms of each of said biomolecules into different fractions; subjecting, for each fraction, the mix to mass spectrometry to obtain a mass spectrum; and determining from signals in each mass spectrum, the amount of the biomolecule corresponding to the spectrum in at least one of said samples relative to the amount of the same biomolecule in at least one of the remaining samples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying a polypeptide, which method comprises the steps of (a) derivatization of the N-terminus of the polypeptide, or the N-termini of one or more peptides of the polypeptide, with at least one acidic reagent which comprises a sulfonyl moiety coupled to an activated acid moiety to provide one or more peptide derivatives; analyzing at least one such derivative using a mass spectrometric technique to provide a fragmentation pattern, and (c) interpreting the fragmentation pattern obtained, wherein the peptide or polypeptide is immobilized to a solid support at least during step(a). Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a kit for identifying a polypeptide by a mass spectrometric technique.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method of electrophoretic separation of protein and/or peptide components of a sample in a convection stabilised medium. More specifically, the method comprises the steps to contact the sample with the separation medium; to apply a voltage across said medium; and to observe the results by analysis of one or more sections of the separation medium. In the present method, a disulphide-comprising compound is added before or during the procedure to make an excess of reactive disulphide groups accessible to react with the cysteine groups of the proteins and/or peptides all through the separation procedure. The present invention also relates to electrophoretic separation media that comprises reactive disulphide groups, such as polyacrylamide gels, and the use of a solution that comprises reactive disulphide groups to pretreat an electrophoretic separation medium.

Abstract: An electrophoresis separation material, especially for isoelectric focusing, comprising a carrier material to which pH-buffering groups are firmly attached and anode side and cathode sides. At least a first portion of the pH-buffering groups (a) having a pH-dependent charge on a nitrogen atom binding to an sp2-hybridised carbon atom,(b) including groups with pKa≧9.5. One embodiment, the groups in (a) have the structure —(NH)nC(═NH)(NH2)(I), possibly in protonated form, where n is 0 or 1, and the free valence binds to the carrier material via an organic linker.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying a polypeptide using a class of novel, water-stable reagents.