Abstracts: 



Resource Development 



Field-Flow Fractionation of Chromosomes 



J. Calvin Giddings 



Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lai^e City, UT 841 12 

 (801)581-6683 



Fieid-tlow fractionation (FFF). a powerful and versatile methodology of relatively 

 recent origins, is applicable to the separation of virtually all categories of macro- 

 molecules and particles. The object of this study is to apply state-of-the-art field-flow 

 fractionation methods to chromosomes, in an effort to separate and purify them from 

 one another and from background cellular debris. This research is focused primarily on 

 the utilization of sedimentation/steric FFF for this problem, but other FFF techniques, 

 including flow FFF. may be involved as well. Recent experiments involving particles in 

 the size range of chromosomes demonstrate the feasibility of working in the 

 chromosome-size range. In all likelihood, FFF methods have sufficient tlexibility to 

 circumvent any potential problems encountered in chromosome separation, such as 

 chromosome adsorption or disruption. 



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