Flow field-flow fractionation: new method for separating, purifying, and characterizing the diffusivity of viruses.

The nature and theory of flow field-flow fractionation is described, and its potential applicability to virus-like particles is discussed. Different virus types are shown to be retained at different levels. Retention can be controlled by variation of the experimental parameters, in good agreement with theory. However, a mild adsorption effect is indicated and requires the development of alternate strategies for measuring diffusion coefficients. For Qbeta, our value agrees well within 10% of literature values; the values obtained for other viruses, using Abeta as an internal standard, are untested. Finally, it is demonstrated that flow field-flow fractionation can cleanly fractionate two viruses from one another and from an albumin impurity, that samples as large as several milligrams in size can be analyzed, and that the method has potential utility in the quantitative and qualitative analysis of virus systems.