Salt-Induced Protein Precipitation in Aqueous Solution: Single and Binary Protein Systems

A molecular-thermodynamic model is developed for the salt-induced protein precipitation. The protein molecules interact through four intermolecular potentials. An equation of state is derived based on the statistical mechanical perturbation theory with the modified Chiew's equation for the fluid phase, Young's equation for the solid phase as the reference system and a perturbation based on the protein-protein effective two body potential. The equation of state provides an expression for the chemical potential of the protein. In a single protein system, the phase separation is represented by fluid-fluid equilibria. The precipitation behaviors are simulated with the partition coefficient at various salt concentrations and degree of pre-aggregation effect for the protein particles. In a binary protein system, we regard the system as a fluid-solid phase equilibrium. At equilibrium, we compute the reduced osmotic pressure-composition diagram in the diverse protein size difference and salt concentrations.