Journal of Polymer Science and Engineering 2024, 7(1), 4471. https://doi.org/10.24294/jpse.v7i1.4471 1 Article Collagen derived from a giant African snail (Achatina achatina) for biomedical applications Dustin Pomary 1 , Belinda Selase Korkor 2 , Bernard Owusu Asimeng 1,* , Solomon Kingsley Katu 1 , Lily Paemka 2 , Vitus Atanga. Apalangya 3 , Bismark Mensah 4 , E. Johan Foster 5 , Elvis K. Tiburu 1 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 77, Ghana 2 West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, School of Biological Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana 3 Department of Food Process Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences University of Ghana, Accra LG 77, Ghana 4 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences University of Ghana, Accra LG 77, Ghana 5 Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3, Canada * Corresponding author: Bernard Owusu Asimeng, boasimeng@ug.edu.gh Abstract: Achatina achatina (AA) is a rich source of collagen due to its large size, but it is underutilized. Type I collagen was extracted from AA to serve as an alternative to existing collagen sources. The collagen was extracted at varying alkaline and temperature conditions to determine the optimal parameters that would give a high yield of acid-soluble collagen. The extracted collagen was characterised using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to confirm the integrity and purity of the extracted collagen. The type of collagen was determined using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The α-1, α-2, and dimer electrophoresis bands confirmed that the collagen is type I, and the XRD data supported the findings. The highest collagen yield was obtained at 4 ℃ for 48 h, which decreased with increasing temperature due to the instability of the protein in acid at high temperatures. A cytotoxicity test was conducted using an Alamar blue assay. The AA collagen- treated normal prostate cell line (PNT2) showed no significant difference from the untreated control cells. The high-quality type I collagen extracted from AA has the potential for biomedical and other industrial applications. Keywords: Achatina achatina; Type I collagen; characterisation 1. Introduction Collagen is a triple helix of three polypeptide chains of molecules, mainly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. It is found in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissues, including tendons, ligaments, bone, and skin, in humans and other organisms [1]. Collagen in the ECM maintains structural integrity and also helps in the transmission of cellular signals [2,3]. Collagens are mainly produced within connective tissue by fibroblasts [4]. The literature reports 28 different types of collagens, which are grouped according to their function, composition, and location in the body. Collagen is extracted from bovine and swine for biomedical applications for a variety of reasons, including aging and accidents [5]. For example, in the area of tissue engineering and regeneration, collagen is used in the design of artificial ECM CITATION Pomary D, Korkor BS, Asimeng BO, et al. Collagen derived from a giant African snail (Achatina achatina) for biomedical applications. Journal of Polymer Science and Engineering. 2024; 7(1): 4471. https://doi.org/10.24294/jpse.v7i1.44 71 ARTICLE INFO Received: 30 January 2024 Accepted: 14 March 2024 Available online: 15 April 2024 COPYRIGHT Copyright © 2024 by author(s). Journal of Polymer Science and Engineering is published by EnPress Publisher, LLC. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/