Collagen

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Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant, and important,
structural protein It is the primary constituent
of connective tissue (e.g. skin) Collagen is a
rod-shaped molecule 3000Å long and just 15Å in
diameter It consists of three strands of
polypeptide chain coiled around one another in a
left-handed polyproline II helical conformation
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Collagen
Collagen contains large amounts of proline and
has a glycine every third residue The prolines
stabilize the polyproline II helix (f,y)
(-70,140)
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Collagen
A glycine every third residue is critical for the
three chains to pack against one another Genetic
mutations that result in something other than
glycine cause osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle
bone disease)
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Collagen