3.3. Molecular weight determinations of sericin powder
Previous study findings on sericin indicated that its molecular weight ranged widely from about 10 to over 300 kDa (Zhang, 2002). An accurate determination of the molecular weight distribution of sericin is not reported to date because of the complex components of sericin undergoing different extraction and process condition. To view the molecular weight profile of sericin powder prepared in a novel approach by ethanol precipitation, we used gel filtration chromatography, SDS–PAGE, and HPLC analytic methods to assess different molecular weight distribution ranges of sericin powder.