title: A novel one-step purification of human alpha-thrombin after direct activation of crude prothrombin enriched from plasma.
abstract: Crude prothrombin enriched from human plasma was directly activated to generate alpha-thrombin without prior exhaustive purification of the proenzyme using a combination of several different types of chromatographic techniques, as in all previously described methodologies. Activated thrombin was separated from other components in a single step by taking advantage of its highly specific affinity to heparin immobilized on a matrix support of Sepharose CL-6B. On the basis of the data presented herein, we have demonstrated the ease with which at least 25 mg of a highly purified enzyme (greater than 97% homogeneous by laser densitometry) can be obtained per litre of plasma. Our product exhibits a specific activity of at least 4000 National Institutes of Health units/mg and is stable after being freeze-dried for the purpose of long-term storage.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Ciba-Geigy AG, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011516:Prothrombin; D006493:Heparin; D013917:Thrombin