AN200: Direct Determination of Cyanate in a Urea Solution and a Urea-Containing Protein Buffer

Instrument Type: IC

Urea is commonly used in protein purification and in recombinant protein manufacturing to denature and solubilize protein. Typically proteins are readily soluble and denature in 4–6 M urea although most solubilize and denature at 8–10 M urea. This can be problematic as the maximum rate of cyanate production occurs near neutral pH, the typical pH range of biological buffers. Cyanate can carbamylate proteins causing unwanted modifications that can alter the protein’s stability. Cyanate determinations in protein bufferes is shown here using an IonPac AS15-5µm column and a Reagent-Free IC system.