Abstract: Acid-soluble and pepsin-soluble collagens (ASC and PSC) were extracted from the skin of grass carp and partially characterized. The yields of ASC and PSC on dry basis from grass carp were 8.0 % and 18.6% respectively. The UV spectra of ASC and PSC from grass carp showed that the distinct absorption was obtained near 223 nm; SDS-PAGE showed that the collagens were composed of two distinct alpha chains, which is similar to the porcine type I collagen. The denaturation temperature of ASC and PSC from grass carp was 33.8℃ and 34.5℃ respectively lower about 3℃ than that of the porcine skin collagen (37℃). These results suggest that grass carp skin has potential application in the functional food, healthcare, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Key words: grass carp, collagen, isolation, characterization