GAMMA TROPOCOLLAGEN: A REVERSIBLY DENATURABLE COLLAGEN MACROMOLECULE

Abstract

A fraction of calfskin collagen is described which is capable of renaturation after thermal denaturation. The evidence presently available indicates that this fraction has a molecular weight similar to that of native tropocollagen and, like the latter, consists of a three-strand helix (hence the designation gamma consistent with one strand a and two strand [beta] components). Even in the denatured state, gamma behaves as a kinetic unit because of a strong, probably covalent bond, between the three chains. The gamma-type tropocollagen probably represents a more mature form than the all-a or a-[beta] forms.