Collagen biosynthesis by cultured fibroblasts from proband IV-2 of family 1. (A) One-dimensional gel electrophoresis of dermal and fibroblast collagens: lane 1, pepsin-solubilized collagen from normal dermis (ND); lane 2, proband fibroblast cell layer collagens; lane 3, proband medium collagens; lane 4, reduced proband fibroblast cell layer collagens; lane 5, reduced proband medium collagens; lane 6, control fibroblast cell layer collagens; lane 7, control medium collagens. All samples contained α1(I) and α2(I) monomeric chains of type I collagen. Control dermis (lane 1) contained α1(I) dimers (β11) and α1(I)/α2(I) dimers (β12) with lysine-derived cross-linkages; these cross-linkages were partially blocked with the addition of β-aminopropionitrile in all fibroblast cultures. The unreduced dermal and fibroblast culture samples contained disulfide-bonded type III collagen trimers [α1(III)3]. There was an additional protein band in the unreduced proband samples (arrowheads, lanes 2 and 3), designated β11′, which was more abundant in the cell layer than in the medium. This band migrated slightly slower than the dermal β11 dimer. The abnormal band disappeared, along with the type III collagen trimer, after reduction of disulfide bonds with DTT. (B) Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the proband’s fibroblast cell layer collagens. Disulfide bonds were unreduced in the first dimension and reduced with DTT in the second dimension. The abnormal protein band in A, lane 2, was dissociated by DTT into proteins, designated α1(I)′, which migrated in a similar manner to control α1(I) chains.