Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Reversible Transformation of Gelatin to the Collagen Structure

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

THE conversion of soluble collagen (tropocollagen, procollagen, acid-extract collagen) to gelatin has been shown to involve the separation of the three-chain coiled-coil structure of the collagen molecule into single peptide chains1,2 each having the disordered random-coil configuration. The universal experience with gelatins has been that these disordered chains could not be returned to the complete native collagen structure, although optical rotation, polarized infrared, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction studies of cooled gelatin solutions or gels showed that partial ordering and helical folding of the chains could occur in localized regions3,4. The principal factor ruling against the complete reversibility of the collagen–gelatin transition was the requirement for the proper juxtaposition and recoiling of the three complex peptide chains.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gallop, P. M., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 54, 486, 501 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Boedtker, H., and Doty, P., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 78, 4267 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Robinson, C. H., “Nature and Structure of Collagen”, 96 (Academic Press, New York, 1953).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bear, R. S., “Adv. in Protein Chemistry”, 7, 69 (1952).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Veis, A., and Cohen, J., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 78, 6238 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Veis, A., and Cohen, J., J. Phys. Chem., 62, 459 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Courts, A., and Stainsby, G., “Recent Advances in Gelatine and Glue Research”, 100 (Pergamon Press, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Veis, A., Anesey, J., and Cohen, J., “Recent Advances in Gelatine and Glue Research”, 155 (Pergamon Press, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Veis, A., and Cohen, J., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 77, 2364 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Division, Central Research Laboratories, Armour and Co., Chicago, 9

    ARTHUR VEIS & JEROME COHEN

Authors
  1. ARTHUR VEIS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. JEROME COHEN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

VEIS, A., COHEN, J. Reversible Transformation of Gelatin to the Collagen Structure. Nature 186, 720–721 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/186720a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/186720a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation