Zirconia modified with ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic
acid) (EDTMP) has an affinity for antibodies, including immunoglobulin
G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). However, little is known about
the mechanism underlying antibody selectivity. In this study, we examined
the interactions of EDTMP-modified zirconia with proteinogenic amino
acids using chromatographic and batch methods to gain mechanistic
insights into antibody selectivity at the amino acid level. We demonstrated
that EDTMP-modified zirconia has an affinity for amino acids with
a positively charged side chain, especially lysine. Similar trends
were observed for oligopeptides. This affinity was reduced by the
addition of sodium phosphate or sodium polyphosphates. Thus, the antibody
selectivity of EDTMP-modified zirconia is primarily ascribable to
electrostatic attractions between the EDTMP moieties of the zirconia
surfaces and the constant region of antibodies that are rich in lysine
residues. Consistent with this, the human IgG antibody has a higher
adsorption ability onto EDTMP-modified zirconia than the rabbit IgG
antibody, which has fewer lysine residues in the constant region.
These findings are useful not only for improving antibody purification
but also for developing new applications, including purification of
proteins tagged with positively charged amino acid residues.