The effect of alkalis on collagen

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Abstract
Hydrolysis of amide groups is the main reaction taking place when collagen is treated with alkali at pH 13. A small number of the guanidino groups is converted to ornithine and urea, and a still smaller fraction to citrulline and ammonia. There is a small increase in the total number of basic groups and in the number of free animo groups; it is suggested that some peptide links involving proline and hydroxyproline are broken. The hydroxy-amino acids, serine, threonine and hydroxylysine, are unaffected by the treatments. Approx. 5% of the collagen is solubilized. Alkali-treated collagen swells more than the original collagen. Skins treated commercially with alkaline solns. undergo changes similar to those found in laboratory expts.