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Electron microscope studies on collagen

III. Tryptic digestion of tropocollagen macromolecules

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Summary

The present paper describes the effect of intensive tryptic digestion of native tropocollagen (TC) macromolecules in solution. Contrary to earlier investigations it has been found that the trypsin treatment results in a fragmentation of the TC molecules. The addition of ATP to solutions exposed to the enzyme yields SLS fragments, 2250 Å in length. Comparison between these and normal SLS type aggregates shows that the scission occurs in a well-defined locus adjacent to the β-1/2-line seen after positive staining. The significance of this finding is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Norway

    Bjørn Reino Olsen

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  1. Bjørn Reino Olsen
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Additional information

This study was supported by grant NB-02215-04 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, Public Health Service, U.S.A. and a Student research fellowship from the Norwegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities. This aid is gratefully acknowledged.

I am indebted to Mrs. J. Line Vaaland and Mr. B. V. Johansen for technical assistance.

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Olsen, B.R. Electron microscope studies on collagen. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 61, 913–919 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340043

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340043

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