A method for the separation of a target molecule from a mixture is described.
The
method employs oil bodies and their associated proteins as affinity matrices for
the selective, non-covalent binding of desired target molecules. The oil body proteins
may be genetically fused to a ligand having specificity for the desired target
molecule. Native oil body proteins can also be used in conjunction with an oil
body protein specific ligand such as an antibody or an oil body binding protein.
The method allows the separation and recovery of the desired target molecules due
to the difference in densities between oil bodies and aqueous solutions.
