Separation of free and chymotrypsin-bound alpha 2-macroglobulin by affinity chromatography. Its use to demonstrate that the two chymotrypsin-binding sites of alpha 2-macroglobulin are equivalent and independent.

Binary and ternary alpha 2-macroglobulin-chymotrypsin complexes may be quantitatively adsorbed on BH-Sepharose-D-tryptophan methyl ester at pH 8.0 and quantitatively eluted either with acetic acid or with 40% glycerol, pH 8.0. This is the first report of a preparative separation of free and proteinase-bound alpha 2-macroglobulin. Using this affinity chromatographic system, we were able to demonstrate that the two chymotrypsin binding sites of alpha-2-macroglobulin are equivalent and independent.