Gel chromatographic fractionation and partial physicochemical characterization of gelatins

Gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-400 HR was used to fractionate a type A and a type B gelatin on a semi-preparative scale. Fractionation was performed at 40 °C in 50 mM ammonium acetate, 0.02% (w/v) sodium azide. Five fractions, enriched in microgels, γ-chains, β-chains, α-chains and subfragments, were isolated. Their molar mass distribution was controlled by FPLC on Superose 6 and SDS-PAGE. No significant differences in amino-acid composition and hexose content were observed between the original gelatins and their fractions. The specific absorption coefficient at 230 nm was found to be the same for both type A and type B gelatin and the chromatographic fractions (2.0 L·g−1·cm−1).