MetspHMFO and PsespHMFO (untagged proteins) were purified in a ResourceQ 6-ml column (GE Healthcare) with a linear NaCl gradient (60 to 160 mM in 4 column volumes [CV]) in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, followed by a MonoQ 5/50 GL column in which the protein fractions were eluted with a NaCl linear gradient (0 to 70 mM in 10 CV) in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0 (Table S3).
His-tagged fusion proteins (MetspHMFOHis and PseniHMFOHis) were purified by affinity chromatography in a HiTrap IMAC FF column (GE Healthcare) with a linear imidazole gradient (20 m to 300 mM in 6 CV) in 500 mM NaCl, 20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, followed by anionic exchange chromatography with a ResourceQ column (GE Healthcare) with an NaCl linear gradient (0 to 500 mM in 5 CV) in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5 (Table S3).
The purified HMFOs were dialyzed against 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, and stored at −80°C, being stable for several months.