In conventional analysis of ion affinity chromatography (IMAC), the stationary phase used for the enrichment of phosphopeptides is prepared by chelation of IDA or NTA with Fe(3+) or Ga(3+) ions. But this kind of stationary phase is easily interfered by other acidic peptides.
New progress has been made recently by a research team at the CAS Institute of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in the IMAC analysis of phosphopeptides. In their novel approach, Zr ions were used instead of the Fe or Ga ions, and a very selective and efficiently enriching stationary phase has been developed.
A paper with the title of "Immobilized Zirconium Ion Affinity Chromatography for Specific Enrichment of Phosphopeptides in Phospho-proteome Analysis", written by FENG Shun, YE mingliang, ZOU Hanfa and co-workers, was published in
Molecular and Cellular Proteomics (2007,6,1656-1665), a journal run by the American Society of Bio-Chemistry and Cell-Biology.
