Silica-based gel filtration chromatography has been used to characterize molecular weight of proteins. However, the molecular weight measured by this method was distorted by protein-silica interactions like hydrophobic and electrostatic forces. Therefore, we characterized protein-silica interaction using two forms of phytochrome (124 kDa) having different hydrophobicity and surface charge. PH and ionic strength affected the retention time of phytochrome suggesting that electrostatic force is the major interaction between protein and silica surface.