INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SURFACTANT ALKYL SULFO-N-SUCCINIMIDYL ESTERS ANDCOLLAGEN FIBRILS

A surface-active agent, sulfo-N-succinimidyl undecenoate (SSU) was pre pared as a probe for collagen-surfactant interactions. When the probe was mixed with monomeric and dimeric collagen in solution, the alpha1 and beta11 chains reacted to give an electrophoretically homogenous pr oduct with increased mobility; the mobilities of the alpha2 and beta12 chains were unaltered. The surfactant appeared to coat fibrils of col lagen when dried and viewed in the electron microscope. Experimental e vidence for the chemical reactivity of SSU with hippuryllysine under m ild conditions was obtained by NMR. Besides serving as a probe for inv estigations, SSU might also be a model of a permanent leather lubrican t requiring minimal amounts of material.