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Mu X, Amouzandeh R, Vogts H, Luallen E, Arzani M. A brief review on the mechanisms and approaches of silk spinning-inspired biofabrication. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1252499. [PMID: 37744248 PMCID: PMC10512026 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1252499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Silk spinning, observed in spiders and insects, exhibits a remarkable biological source of inspiration for advanced polymer fabrications. Because of the systems design, silk spinning represents a holistic and circular approach to sustainable polymer fabrication, characterized by renewable resources, ambient and aqueous processing conditions, and fully recyclable "wastes." Also, silk spinning results in structures that are characterized by the combination of monolithic proteinaceous composition and mechanical strength, as well as demonstrate tunable degradation profiles and minimal immunogenicity, thus making it a viable alternative to most synthetic polymers for the development of advanced biomedical devices. However, the fundamental mechanisms of silk spinning remain incompletely understood, thus impeding the efforts to harness the advantageous properties of silk spinning. Here, we present a concise and timely review of several essential features of silk spinning, including the molecular designs of silk proteins and the solvent cues along the spinning apparatus. The solvent cues, including salt ions, pH, and water content, are suggested to direct the hierarchical assembly of silk proteins and thus play a central role in silk spinning. We also discuss several hypotheses on the roles of solvent cues to provide a relatively comprehensive analysis and to identify the current knowledge gap. We then review the state-of-the-art bioinspired fabrications with silk proteins, including fiber spinning and additive approaches/three-dimensional (3D) printing. An emphasis throughout the article is placed on the universal characteristics of silk spinning developed through millions of years of individual evolution pathways in spiders and silkworms. This review serves as a stepping stone for future research endeavors, facilitating the in vitro recapitulation of silk spinning and advancing the field of bioinspired polymer fabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Mu
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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2
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Rising A, Harrington MJ. Biological Materials Processing: Time-Tested Tricks for Sustainable Fiber Fabrication. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2155-2199. [PMID: 36508546 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to improve the sustainability of the materials we produce and use. Here, we explore what humans can learn from nature about how to sustainably fabricate polymeric fibers with excellent material properties by reviewing the physical and chemical aspects of materials processing distilled from diverse model systems, including spider silk, mussel byssus, velvet worm slime, hagfish slime, and mistletoe viscin. We identify common and divergent strategies, highlighting the potential for bioinspired design and technology transfer. Despite the diversity of the biopolymeric fibers surveyed, we identify several common strategies across multiple systems, including: (1) use of stimuli-responsive biomolecular building blocks, (2) use of concentrated fluid precursor phases (e.g., coacervates and liquid crystals) stored under controlled chemical conditions, and (3) use of chemical (pH, salt concentration, redox chemistry) and physical (mechanical shear, extensional flow) stimuli to trigger the transition from fluid precursor to solid material. Importantly, because these materials largely form and function outside of the body of the organisms, these principles can more easily be transferred for bioinspired design in synthetic systems. We end the review by discussing ongoing efforts and challenges to mimic biological model systems, with a particular focus on artificial spider silks and mussel-inspired materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rising
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
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3
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Kiseleva A, Nestor G, Östman JR, Kriuchkova A, Savin A, Krivoshapkin P, Krivoshapkina E, Seisenbaeva GA, Kessler VG. Modulating Surface Properties of the Linothele fallax Spider Web by Solvent Treatment. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:4945-4955. [PMID: 34644050 PMCID: PMC8672351 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Linothele fallax (Mello-Leitão) (L. fallax) spider web, a potentially attractive tissue engineering material, was investigated using quantitative peak force measurement atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy both in its natural state and after treatment with solvents of different protein affinities, namely, water, ethanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Native L. fallax silk threads are densely covered by globular objects, which constitute their inseparable parts. Depending on the solvent, treating L. fallax modifies its appearance. In the case of water and ethanol, the changes are minor. In contrast, DMSO practically removes the globules and fuses the threads into dense bands. Moreover, the solvent treatment influences the chemistry of the threads' surface, changing their adhesive and, therefore, biocompatibility and cell adhesion properties. On the other hand, the solvent-treated web materials' contact effect on different types of biological matter differs considerably. Protein-rich matter controls humidity better when wrapped in spider silk treated with more hydrophobic solvents. However, carbohydrate plant materials retain more moisture when wrapped in native spider silk. The extracts produced with the solvents were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques, revealing unsaturated fatty acids as representative adsorbed species, which may explain the mild antibacterial effect of the spider silk. The extracted metabolites were similar for the different solvents, meaning that the globules were not "dissolved" but "fused into" the threads themselves, being supposedly rolled-in knots of the protein chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Kiseleva
- Institute
of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Gustav Nestor
- Department
of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, SLU, Box 7015, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Johnny R. Östman
- Department
of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, SLU, Box 7015, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Anastasiia Kriuchkova
- Institute
of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Artemii Savin
- Institute
of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Pavel Krivoshapkin
- Institute
of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Elena Krivoshapkina
- Institute
of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | | | - Vadim G. Kessler
- Department
of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, SLU, Box 7015, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
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4
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Verma P, Panda B, Singh KP, Pandit SB. Optimal Protein Sequence Design Mitigates Mechanical Failure in Silk β-Sheet Nanocrystals. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:3156-3165. [PMID: 34151552 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The excellent mechanical strength and toughness of spider silk are well characterized experimentally and understood atomistically using computational simulations. However, little attention has been focused on understanding whether the amino acid sequence of β-sheet nanocrystals, which is the key to rendering strength to silk fiber, is optimally chosen to mitigate molecular-scale failure mechanisms. To investigate this, we modeled β-sheet nanocrystals of various representative small/polar/hydrophobic amino acid repeats for determining the sequence motif having superior nanomechanical tensile strength and toughness. The constant velocity pulling of the central β-strand in the nanocrystal, using steered molecular dynamics, showed that homopolymers of small amino acid (alanine/alanine-glycine) sequence motifs, occurring in natural silk fibroin, have better nanomechanical properties than other modeled structures. Further, we analyzed the hydrogen bond (HB) and β-strand pull dynamics of modeled nanocrystals to understand the variation in their rupture mechanisms and explore sequence-dependent mitigating factors contributing to their superior mechanical properties. Surprisingly, the enhanced side-chain interactions in homopoly-polar/hydrophobic amino acid models are unable to augment backbone HB cooperativity to increase mechanical strength. Our analyses suggest that nanocrystals of pristine silk sequences most likely achieve superior mechanical strength by optimizing side-chain interaction, packing, and main-chain HB interactions. Thus, this study suggests that the nanocrystal β-sheet sequence plays a crucial role in determining the nanomechanical properties of silk, and the evolutionary process has optimized it in natural silk. This study provides insight into the molecular design principle of silk with implications in the genetically modified artificial synthesis of silk-like biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paras Verma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, Knowledge City, Manauli PO, SAS Nagar 140306, India
| | - Biswajit Panda
- Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, Knowledge City, Manauli PO, SAS Nagar 140306, India
| | - Kamal P Singh
- Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, Knowledge City, Manauli PO, SAS Nagar 140306, India
| | - Shashi B Pandit
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, Knowledge City, Manauli PO, SAS Nagar 140306, India
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5
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Johansson J, Rising A. Doing What Spiders Cannot-A Road Map to Supreme Artificial Silk Fibers. ACS NANO 2021; 15:1952-1959. [PMID: 33470789 PMCID: PMC7905870 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c08933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Fabricating artificial spider silk fibers in bulk scale has been a major goal in materials science for centuries. Two main routes have emerged for making such fibers. One method uses biomimetics in which the spider silk proteins (spidroins) are produced under nativelike conditions and then spun into fibers in a process that captures the natural, complex molecular mechanisms. However, these fibers do not yet match the mechanical properties of native silk fibers, potentially due to the small size of the designed spidroin used. The second route builds on biotechnological progress that enables production of large spidroins that can be spun into fibers by using organic solvents. With this approach, fibers that equal the native material in terms of mechanical properties can be manufactured, but the yields are too low for economically sustainable production. Hence, the need for new ideas is urgent. Herein, we introduce a structural-biology-based approach for engineering artificial spidroins that circumvents the laws with which spidroins, being secretory proteins, have to comply in order to avoid membrane insertion and provide a road map to the production of biomimetic silk fibers with improved mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Johansson
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, Neo, 14183 Huddinge, Sweden
- E-mail:
| | - Anna Rising
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, Neo, 14183 Huddinge, Sweden
- Department
of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
- E-mail:
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6
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Tian LY, Meng Q, Lin Y. Expression and characterization of chimeric spidroins from flagelliform-aciniform repetitive modules. Biopolymers 2020; 111:e23404. [PMID: 33075850 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Spiders can produce up to seven different types of silks or glues with different mechanical properties. Of these, flagelliform (Flag) silk is the most elastic, and aciniform (AcSp1) silk is the toughest. To produce a chimeric spider silk (spidroin) FlagR -AcSp1R , we fused one repetitive module of flagelliform silk from Araneus ventricosus and one repetitive module of aciniform silk from Argiope trifasciata. The recombinant protein expressed in E. coli formed silk-like fibers by manual-drawing. CD analysis showed that the secondary structure of FlagR -AcSp1R spidroin remained stable during the gradual reduction of pH from 7.0 to 5.5. The spectrum of FTIR indicated that the secondary structure of FlagR -AcSp1R changed from α-helix to β-sheet. The conformation change of FlagR -AcSp1R was similar to other spidroins in the fiber formation process. SEM analysis revealed that the mean diameter of the fibers was around 1 ~ 2 μm, and the surface was smooth and uniform. The chimeric fibers exhibited superior toughness (~33.1 MJ/m3 ) and tensile strength (~261.4 MPa). This study provides new insight into design of chimeric spider silks with high mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-Yang Tian
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Meng
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Lin
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
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7
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Li H, Chen S, Piao S, An T, Wang C. Production of artificial synthetic spidroin gene 4S-transgenic cloned sheep embryos using somatic cell nuclear transfer. Anim Biotechnol 2020; 32:616-626. [DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2020.1737098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
| | - Shengnan Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
| | - Shanhua Piao
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
| | - Tiezhu An
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
| | - Chunsheng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China
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8
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Zhou Y, Shen Q, Lin Y, Xu S, Meng Q. Evaluation of the potential of chimeric spidroins/poly(L-lactic-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2020; 111:110752. [PMID: 32279827 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.110752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a novel type of chimeric spider silk proteins (spidroins) NTW1-4CT was blended with poly(L-lactic-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) to obtain nanofibrous scaffolds via electrospinning. Spidroins are composed of a N-terminal module (NT) from major ampullate spidroins, a C-terminal module (CT) from minor ampullate spidroins and 1-4 repeat modules (W) from aciniform spidroins. Physical characteristics and structures of NTW1-4CT/PLCL (25/75, w/w) blend scaffolds were carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM), water contact angles measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and tensile mechanical tests. Results showed that blending with spidroins decreased diameters of nanofibers and increased porosity and wettability of scaffolds. Additionally, chimeric spidroins undergone a similar structural transition in electrospinning process as with the formation process of native and artificial spider silks from other spidroins. With amounts of W modules increasing, the tensile strength and elongation of blend scaffolds were also increased. Particularly, NTW4CT/PLCL (25/75) scaffolds revealed much higher breaking stress than pure PLCL scaffolds. In vitro experiments, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) cultured on NTW4CT/PLCL (25/75) scaffolds displayed significantly higher activity of proliferation and adhesion than on pure PLCL scaffolds. All results suggested that chimeric spidroins/PLCL, especially NTW4CT/PLCL (25/75) blend nanofibrous scaffolds had promising potential for vascular tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhong Zhou
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Qingchun Shen
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Ying Lin
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Shouying Xu
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Qing Meng
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China.
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9
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Werten MWT, Eggink G, Cohen Stuart MA, de Wolf FA. Production of protein-based polymers in Pichia pastoris. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:642-666. [PMID: 30902728 PMCID: PMC6624476 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Materials science and genetic engineering have joined forces over the last three decades in the development of so-called protein-based polymers. These are proteins, typically with repetitive amino acid sequences, that have such physical properties that they can be used as functional materials. Well-known natural examples are collagen, silk, and elastin, but also artificial sequences have been devised. These proteins can be produced in a suitable host via recombinant DNA technology, and it is this inherent control over monomer sequence and molecular size that renders this class of polymers of particular interest to the fields of nanomaterials and biomedical research. Traditionally, Escherichia coli has been the main workhorse for the production of these polymers, but the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris is finding increased use in view of the often high yields and potential bioprocessing benefits. We here provide an overview of protein-based polymers produced in P. pastoris. We summarize their physicochemical properties, briefly note possible applications, and detail their biosynthesis. Some challenges that may be faced when using P. pastoris for polymer production are identified: (i) low yields and poor process control in shake flask cultures; i.e., the need for bioreactors, (ii) proteolytic degradation, and (iii) self-assembly in vivo. Strategies to overcome these challenges are discussed, which we anticipate will be of interest also to readers involved in protein expression in P. pastoris in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc W T Werten
- Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Gerrit Eggink
- Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands; Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, NL-6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martien A Cohen Stuart
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, NL-6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Frits A de Wolf
- Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
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10
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Kiseleva A, Kiselev G, Kessler V, Seisenbaeva G, Gets D, Rumyantseva V, Lyalina T, Fakhardo A, Krivoshapkin P, Krivoshapkina E. Optically Active Hybrid Materials Based on Natural Spider Silk. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:22962-22972. [PMID: 31252494 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk is a natural material possessing unique properties such as biocompatibility, regenerative and antimicrobial activity, and biodegradability. It is broadly considered an attractive matrix for tissue regeneration applications. Optical monitoring and potential control over tissue regrowth are attractive tools for monitoring of this process. In this work, we show upconversion modification of natural spider silk fibers with inorganic nanoparticles. To achieve upconversion, metal oxide nanoparticles were doped with low concentrations of rare-earth elements, producing potentially biocompatible luminescent nanomaterials. The suggested approach to spider silk modification is efficient and easy to perform, opening up sensing and imaging possibilities of biomaterials in a noninvasive and real-time manner in bio-integration approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grigorii Kiselev
- ITMO University , Lomonosova Street 9 , Saint Petersburg 191002 , Russia
| | - Vadim Kessler
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter , SLU , P.O. Box 7015, SE-75007 Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Gulaim Seisenbaeva
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter , SLU , P.O. Box 7015, SE-75007 Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Dmitry Gets
- ITMO University , Lomonosova Street 9 , Saint Petersburg 191002 , Russia
| | | | - Tatiana Lyalina
- ITMO University , Lomonosova Street 9 , Saint Petersburg 191002 , Russia
| | - Anna Fakhardo
- ITMO University , Lomonosova Street 9 , Saint Petersburg 191002 , Russia
| | - Pavel Krivoshapkin
- ITMO University , Lomonosova Street 9 , Saint Petersburg 191002 , Russia
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11
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Nilebäck L, Arola S, Kvick M, Paananen A, Linder MB, Hedhammar M. Interfacial Behavior of Recombinant Spider Silk Protein Parts Reveals Cues on the Silk Assembly Mechanism. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:11795-11805. [PMID: 30183309 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism of silk assembly, and thus the cues for the extraordinary properties of silk, can be explored by studying the simplest protein parts needed for the formation of silk-like materials. The recombinant spider silk protein 4RepCT, consisting of four repeats of polyalanine and glycine-rich segments (4Rep) and a globular C-terminal domain (CT), has previously been shown to assemble into silk-like fibers at the liquid-air interface. Herein, we study the interfacial behavior of the two parts of 4RepCT, revealing new details on how each protein part is crucial for the silk assembly. Interfacial rheology and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation show that 4Rep interacts readily at the interfaces. However, organized nanofibrillar structures are formed only when 4Rep is fused to CT. A strong interplay between the parts to direct the assembly is demonstrated. The presence of either a liquid-air or a liquid-solid interface had a surprisingly similar influence on the assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Nilebäck
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Suvi Arola
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering , Aalto University , P.O. Box 16100, Fi-00076 Aalto , Finland
| | - Mathias Kvick
- Spiber Technologies AB, AlbaNova University Center , 106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Arja Paananen
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd , Tietotie 2 , Fi-02150 Espoo , Finland
| | - Markus B Linder
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering , Aalto University , P.O. Box 16100, Fi-00076 Aalto , Finland
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
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12
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Zhou Y, Rising A, Johansson J, Meng Q. Production and Properties of Triple Chimeric Spidroins. Biomacromolecules 2018; 19:2825-2833. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yizhong Zhou
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anna Rising
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qing Meng
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People’s Republic of China
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13
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Silk Spinning in Silkworms and Spiders. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17081290. [PMID: 27517908 PMCID: PMC5000687 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17081290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 07/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiders and silkworms spin silks that outcompete the toughness of all natural and manmade fibers. Herein, we compare and contrast the spinning of silk in silkworms and spiders, with the aim of identifying features that are important for fiber formation. Although spiders and silkworms are very distantly related, some features of spinning silk seem to be universal. Both spiders and silkworms produce large silk proteins that are highly repetitive and extremely soluble at high pH, likely due to the globular terminal domains that flank an intermediate repetitive region. The silk proteins are produced and stored at a very high concentration in glands, and then transported along a narrowing tube in which they change conformation in response primarily to a pH gradient generated by carbonic anhydrase and proton pumps, as well as to ions and shear forces. The silk proteins thereby convert from random coil and alpha helical soluble conformations to beta sheet fibers. We suggest that factors that need to be optimized for successful production of artificial silk proteins capable of forming tough fibers include protein solubility, pH sensitivity, and preservation of natively folded proteins throughout the purification and initial spinning processes.
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14
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Abstract
There are around 30 human diseases associated with protein misfolding and amyloid formation, each one caused by a certain protein or peptide. Many of these diseases are lethal and together they pose an enormous burden to society. The prion protein has attracted particular interest as being shown to be the pathogenic agent in transmissible diseases such as kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Whether similar transmission could occur also in other amyloidoses such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and serum amyloid A amyloidosis is a matter of intense research and debate. Furthermore, it has been suggested that novel biomaterials such as artificial spider silk are potentially amyloidogenic. Here, we provide a brief introduction to amyloid, prions and other proteins involved in amyloid disease and review recent evidence for their potential transmission. We discuss the similarities and differences between amyloid and silk, as well as the potential hazards associated with protein-based biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- L O Tjernberg
- Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - A Rising
- Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Johansson
- Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - K Jaudzems
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
| | - P Westermark
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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15
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Weatherbee-Martin N, Xu L, Hupe A, Kreplak L, Fudge DS, Liu XQ, Rainey JK. Identification of Wet-Spinning and Post-Spin Stretching Methods Amenable to Recombinant Spider Aciniform Silk. Biomacromolecules 2016; 17:2737-46. [PMID: 27387592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Spider silks are outstanding biomaterials with mechanical properties that outperform synthetic materials. Of the six fibrillar spider silks, aciniform (or wrapping) silk is the toughest through a unique combination of strength and extensibility. In this study, a wet-spinning method for recombinant Argiope trifasciata aciniform spidroin (AcSp1) is introduced. Recombinant AcSp1 comprising three 200 amino acid repeat units was solubilized in a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP)/water mixture, forming a viscous α-helix-enriched spinning dope, and wet-spun into an ethanol/water coagulation bath allowing continuous fiber production. Post-spin stretching of the resulting wet-spun fibers in water significantly improved fiber strength, enriched β-sheet conformation without complete α-helix depletion, and enhanced birefringence. These methods allow reproducible aciniform silk fiber formation, albeit with lower extensibility than native silk, requiring conditions and methods distinct from those previously reported for other silk proteins. This provides an essential starting point for tailoring wet-spinning of aciniform silk to achieve desired properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andre Hupe
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph , Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | | | - Douglas S Fudge
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph , Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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16
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Ling S, Dinjaski N, Ebrahimi D, Wong JY, Kaplan DL, Buehler MJ. Conformation Transitions of Recombinant Spidroins via Integration of Time-Resolved FTIR Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamic Simulation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2016; 2:1298-1308. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shengjie Ling
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Nina Dinjaski
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | | | - Joyce Y. Wong
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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17
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Jastrzebska K, Felcyn E, Kozak M, Szybowicz M, Buchwald T, Pietralik Z, Jesionowski T, Mackiewicz A, Dams-Kozlowska H. The method of purifying bioengineered spider silk determines the silk sphere properties. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28106. [PMID: 27312998 PMCID: PMC4911573 DOI: 10.1038/srep28106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioengineered spider silks are a biomaterial with great potential for applications in biomedicine. They are biocompatible,biodegradable and can self-assemble into films, hydrogels, scaffolds, fibers, capsules and spheres. A novel, tag-free, bioengineered spider silk named MS2(9x) was constructed. It is a 9-mer of the consensus motif derived from MaSp2–the spidroin of Nephila clavipes dragline silk. Thermal and acidic extraction methods were used to purify MS2(9x). Both purification protocols gave a similar quantity and quality of soluble silk; however, they differed in the secondary structure and zeta potential value. Spheres made of these purified variants differed with regard to critical features such as particle size, morphology, zeta potential and drug loading. Independent of the purification method, neither variant of the MS2(9x) spheres was cytotoxic, which confirmed that both methods can be used for biomedical applications. However, this study highlights the impact that the applied purification method has on the further biomaterial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Jastrzebska
- Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-688 Poznan, Poland.,NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Maciej Kozak
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.,Joint Laboratory for SAXS Studies, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Szybowicz
- Faculty of Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Tomasz Buchwald
- Faculty of Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Pietralik
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Teofil Jesionowski
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Andrzej Mackiewicz
- Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-688 Poznan, Poland.,BioContract Sp. z o.o., 61-051 Poznan, Poland.,Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 61-688 Poznan, Poland
| | - Hanna Dams-Kozlowska
- Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-688 Poznan, Poland.,Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 61-688 Poznan, Poland
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18
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Werner V, Meinel L. From silk spinning in insects and spiders to advanced silk fibroin drug delivery systems. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2015; 97:392-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2015.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 03/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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19
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To spin or not to spin: spider silk fibers and more. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:9361-80. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6948-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2015] [Revised: 08/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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20
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Landreh M, Rising A, Presto J, Jörnvall H, Johansson J. Specific chaperones and regulatory domains in control of amyloid formation. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:26430-6. [PMID: 26354437 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r115.653097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many proteins can form amyloid-like fibrils in vitro, but only about 30 amyloids are linked to disease, whereas some proteins form physiological amyloid-like assemblies. This raises questions of how the formation of toxic protein species during amyloidogenesis is prevented or contained in vivo. Intrinsic chaperoning or regulatory factors can control the aggregation in different protein systems, thereby preventing unwanted aggregation and enabling the biological use of amyloidogenic proteins. The molecular actions of these chaperones and regulators provide clues to the prevention of amyloid disease, as well as to the harnessing of amyloidogenic proteins in medicine and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Landreh
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 5QY, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Rising
- the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet - Novum, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden, the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Biomedical Centre, Box 575, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jenny Presto
- the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet - Novum, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Hans Jörnvall
- the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden, and
| | - Jan Johansson
- the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet - Novum, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden, the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Biomedical Centre, Box 575, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden, the Institute of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tallinn University, Narva mnt 25, 101 20 Tallinn, Estonia
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21
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Koebley SR, Thorpe D, Pang P, Chrisochoides P, Greving I, Vollrath F, Schniepp HC. Silk Reconstitution Disrupts Fibroin Self-Assembly. Biomacromolecules 2015; 16:2796-804. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b00732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean R. Koebley
- The College of William & Mary, Department of Applied Science, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795, United States
| | - Daniel Thorpe
- The College of William & Mary, Department of Applied Science, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795, United States
| | - Pei Pang
- The College of William & Mary, Department of Applied Science, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795, United States
| | - Panos Chrisochoides
- The College of William & Mary, Department of Applied Science, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795, United States
| | - Imke Greving
- Oxford Silk Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Tinbergen
Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Fritz Vollrath
- Oxford Silk Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Tinbergen
Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Hannes C. Schniepp
- The College of William & Mary, Department of Applied Science, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795, United States
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22
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Wolff JO, Grawe I, Wirth M, Karstedt A, Gorb SN. Spider's super-glue: thread anchors are composite adhesives with synergistic hierarchical organization. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:2394-2403. [PMID: 25672841 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm02130d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Silk is a key innovation in spiders, fascinating both biologists and material scientists. However, to fulfil their biological function silken threads must be strongly fastened to substrates or other threads. The majority of modern spiders produce a unique and rather unexplored bio-adhesive: the two-compound pyriform secretion, which is spun into elaborate patterns (so called attachment discs) and used to anchor silken threads to substrates. Strong adhesion is achieved on a high variety of surfaces with a minimum of material consumption. Pyriform threads polymerize under ambient conditions, become functional within less than a second and can remain stable for years. They are biodegradable, biocompatible and highly versatile - the adhesion and the overall toughness of the attachment disc can be controlled by spinneret movements on a macroscopic level (ref. 1: V. Sahni et al., Nat. Commun., 2012, 3, 1106, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2099). We found that the pyriform thread is a silk fibre that is coated with glue-like cement consisting of aligned nanofibrils, lipid enclosures and a dense, isotropic boundary layer. The threads are spun in a meshwork pattern that promotes stress distribution and crack arresting. Our results demonstrate, that hierarchical organization and fibre embedding may explain the high adhesive strength and flaw tolerance of a structure made by the same, rather simple type of silk glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas O Wolff
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, University of Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
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