This work is the first evidence for the existence of five molecular species of collagen as well as the primary structures of Type I, II and V/XI procollagen alpha 1 chains in the skate belonging to the elasmobranch. The skate have been consumed 14,000 tons per year in the Korea and over 80% domestic needs of the skate have been imported throughout the world. The skate, which is mainly edible for fermented skate, Hongtak, have been dealt as an important commercial fish in the Jeolla-Namdo Province of Korea. The fundamental data obtained here will make it possible to develop study on preservation and processing of the skate with a view to changing of the chemical and physical properties. In addition, it will provide important basic information for making more effective use on the under-utilized resources such as skin and cartilage of the skate. Furthermore, it will provide fundamental information to extended research on fields such as developmental physiology, aquacultural biology, biochemistry and molecular biology.
