Isolation and Partial Characterization of Two Distinct Types of Collagen in the Squid <i>Todarodes pacificus</i>

Abstract

Molecular species of collagen in the mantle muscle and skin of the squid Todarodes pacificus were examined by biochemical techniques. A major collagen and a minor collagen which showed distinct patterns of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were isolated from the pepsin-solubilized collagen from both of the tissues by differential salt precipitation and phosphocellulose column chromatography. By peptide mapping, the major and minor collagens which existed in the mantle muscle were shown to be essentially identical to the major and minor collagens in the mantle skin, respectively. The major and minor collagens, termed Type SQ-I and SQ-II collagens (SQ: squid), respectively, in the muscle were demonstrated to be genetically distinct from each other by peptide mapping and amino acid analysis.