The degradation rates of type I, II, and III collagens by tadpole collagenase

The degradation rates of type I, II, and III collagens by tadpole collagenase were studied by measuring the viscosity of the solution and the contents of alpha chains and alpha A chains of collagen, using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by densitometric analysis of the separated peptide bands. An empirical parameter was derived from the viscosity, and was shown to change in parallel with the content of alpha chains upon incubation with tadpole collagenase almost to the stage of complete digestion of collagen. Linear plots of parameters reflecting the concentration of intact collagen molecules against time were obtained, indicating the degradation to be pseudo-first order. The first-order rate constants for the degradation of Type I, II, and III collagens with tadpole collagenase at 30, 25, and 20 degrees C gave activation energies of 60 kcal/mol for Type III collagen and 40 kcal/mol for Type I and II collagens. There appeared to be a dependency of the degradation rates on the conformation of the collagen molecules (which is affected by temperature).