Abstract
Protein aggregation remains a major challenge in the purification of recombinant proteins in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic expression systems. One such protein is the nucleocapsid protein of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which has high aggregation tendency and rapidly precipitates upon purification by NiNTA chromatography. Using the detergent gradient purification approach reported here, the freshly purified protein by NiNTA chromatography was mixed with the dilution buffer containing a high detergent concentration, followed by overnight freezing at -80 °C. Thawing the resulting mixture at room temperature triggered the formation of a detergent concentration gradient containing the active protein in the low detergent concentration zone towards the top of the gradient. The inactive aggregates migrated to the high detergent concentration zone towards the bottom of the gradient. The method prevented further aggregation and retained the activity of the native protein despite numerous freeze-thaw cycles. This simple approach creates an appropriate microenvironment towards the top of the gradient for correctly folded proteins, and it prevents aggregation by rapidly separating the preformed early aggregates from the correctly folded protein in the mixture. This unique approach will be of potential importance for the biotechnological industry, as well as other fields of protein biochemistry that routinely purify recombinant proteins and face the challenges of protein aggregation. Graphical abstract.