The Use Of Capillary Zone Electrophoresis To Monitor Alterations In Glycoprotein Microheterogeneity

The applicability of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) to monitor alterations in glycoprotein microheterogeneity was investigated using bare fused silica capillaries. Human transferrin was analyzed as a model compound. The transferrin glycoforms which differ only in the number of sialic residues in the carbohydrate moiety were resolved by a berate buffer containing putrescine. Alterations of the glycoform pattern were monitored after incubation with neuraminidase. Deglycosylation of the various glycoforms followed first-order kinetics. The respective rate constants were shown to increase with increasing number of sialic acids and increasing enzyme activity.