The relative contribution of electrostatic interactions to stabilization of collagen fibrils

Electrostatic energies of interaction between type I collagen molecules were calculated, using models developed by Timasheff and Hill. These energies, along with a contribution from hydrophobic forces, were then incorporated into an equation due to Flory that described phase equilibria of rod-like polymers. The Flory formalism in turn permitted a calculation of the overall free energy of fibril formation (delta Ff), and an assessment of the relative contribution of electrostatic and hydrophobic forces to delta Ff. Lastly, delta Ff was used in a nucleation-growth model relating halftimes of fibril formation (t1/2) to ionic strength (I) and temperature. Because the theory provided no basis for setting absolute levels of the energetic contributions, five parameters in the model had to be derived from experimental data. Based on the fit of theory to experimental results both for intact and pepsinized collagen, it was found that very low electrostatic energies (about -1 kcal/mole per collagen molecule) were sufficient to explain experimental t1/2 vs I relationships. This energy is equivalent to 1 close charge-pair interaction per molecule and appears to be lower than the energy assignable to hydrophobic interactions.