The chemical reactivity and structure of collagen studied by neutron diffraction

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5847-7_32· OSTI ID:381098

Wess, T J; Wess, L; Miller, A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Stirling (United Kingdom)

The chemical reactivity of collagen can be studied using neutron diffraction (a non-destructive technique), for certain reaction types. Collagen contains a number of lysine and hydroxylysine side chains that can react with aldehydes and ketones, or these side chains can themselves be converted to aldehydes by lysyl oxidase. The reactivity of these groups not only has an important role in the maintenance of mechanical strength in collagen fibrils, but can also manifest pathologically in the cases of aging, diabetes (reactivity with a variety of sugars) and alcoholism (reactivity with acetaldehyde). The reactivity of reducing groups with collagen can be studied by neutron diffraction, since the crosslink formed in the adduction process is initially of a Schiff base or keto-imine nature. The nature of this crosslink allows it to be deuterated, and the position of this relatively heavy scattering atom can be used in a process of phase determination by multiple isomorphous replacement. This process was used to study the following: the position of natural crosslinks in collagen; the position of adducts in tendon from diabetic rats in vivo and the in vitro position of acetaidehyde adducts in tendon.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• OSTI ID: 381098
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--96-634; CONF-9410223--; ON: DE96006681
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
66 PHYSICS
ACETALDEHYDE
ADDUCTS
BIOCHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLAGEN
KETONES
LYSINE
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
RATS
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS