Differences in the extent and heterogeneity of lysyl hydroxylation in embryonic chick cranial and long bone collagens.

The hydroxylation of lysine in embryonic chick long bone and mandibular collagen was found to be approximately 3-fold greater than that of the collagens of adult animals. In contrast, no significant difference was found in extent of lysine hydroxylation of the collagens of frontal bones of embryos and postnatal animals. Both histochemical and biochemical evidence established that full thickness diaphyseal bone samples contained cartilage and, consequently, type II collagen which undoubtedly contributed to the higher hydroxylysine contents of young postnatal animals reported previously. DEAE ion exchange chromatography of the alpha 1(I) chains of lathyritic long bone and mandibular collagens isolated by carboxymethyl-cellulose ion exchange chromatography showed considerable heterogeneity, whereas the alpha 1(I) chains obtained from lathyritic frontal bone collagen did not. Three fractions of alpha 1(I) chains of long bones and mandibular collagen were isolated which differed significantly in their hydroxylysine contents. The relative proportion of the three peaks changed as a function of embryonic age and maturation: more of the alpha 1(I) chains with the highest hydroxylysine content was present in the collagen synthesized earliest during embryonic development. This is consistent with results which demonstrated that the collagens synthesized earliest during embryonic and postnatal development had the highest hydroxylysine contents.