DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's abstract) The long-term objective is to use a novel separations technology to improve markedly the efficiency of peptide and protein separations and to extend these separations to a wide variety of peptides and proteins. The specific aim of the Phase I research is to test novel supported ligands for their ability to separate selectively tripeptides (capped and uncapped), each of which is composed of the same amino acid chosen from among those with side groups sulfhydryl (methionine, cysteine), protonated amine (lysine), carboxyl (aspartic acid, glutamic acid), and imidazole (histidine). Success in the Phase I and Phase II studies has the potential to make possible a rapid means for achieving highly selective separations of a wide variety ofpeptides and proteins. The research design involves the use in colunm form of available supported materials consisting of ligands chemically bonded to several supports to separate individual tripeptides from their mixtures with different tripeptides. Separations will be further enhanced by altering pH and eluent conditions. It is expected that separation factors of 10 to 100 will be achieved, making bind-release operations possible in many cases. PROPOSED COMMERCAIL APPLICATION: Successful completion fo the research would open the way in Phase II and beyond to meet two important commercial needs of peptide and protein separations. First, use of a novel separations to be dramatically improved through a reduced number of process steps, higher selectivities, and stronger binding. Second, selective recognition of protonated amie and carboxyl groups would greatly expand the number of peptides and proteins that could be effectively separated.