The Biosynthesis of Collagen

Intracellular Biosynthesis of CollagenWork from several laboratories has demonstrated that the biosynthesis of collagen occurs by a series of sequential steps: assembly on ribosomal complexes of a polypeptide precursor of collagen that we have called "protocollagen"; hydroxylation of appropriate Pro and Lys residues in protocollagen to Hypro and Hylys; and substitution of some of the Hylys residues with Gal or glucosylgalactose in O-glycosidic linkage before the molecule is extruded (Fig. 2).Our knowledge of the biosynthesis of collagen began with the experiments of Stetten and Schoenheimer, who in the 1940's prepared some of the first isotopically labeled amino acids . . .