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Payne-Dwyer A, Kumar G, Barrett J, Gherman LK, Hodgkinson M, Plevin M, Mackinder L, Leake MC, Schaefer C. Predicting Rubisco-Linker Condensation from Titration in the Dilute Phase. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:218401. [PMID: 38856270 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.218401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The condensation of Rubisco holoenzymes and linker proteins into "pyrenoids," a crucial supercharger of photosynthesis in algae, is qualitatively understood in terms of "sticker-and-spacer" theory. We derive semianalytical partition sums for small Rubisco-linker aggregates, which enable the calculation of both dilute-phase titration curves and dimerization diagrams. By fitting the titration curves to surface plasmon resonance and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy data, we extract the molecular properties needed to predict dimerization diagrams. We use these to estimate typical concentrations for condensation, and successfully compare these to microscopy observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Payne-Dwyer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - James Barrett
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Laura K Gherman
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, The University of York; York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hodgkinson
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Plevin
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, The University of York; York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Mackinder
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Mark C Leake
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Charley Schaefer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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2
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Song J, Holten-Andersen N, McKinley GH. Non-Maxwellian viscoelastic stress relaxations in soft matter. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7885-7906. [PMID: 37846782 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00736g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Viscoelastic stress relaxation is a basic characteristic of soft matter systems such as colloids, gels, and biological networks. Although the Maxwell model of linear viscoelasticity provides a classical description of stress relaxation, it is often not sufficient for capturing the complex relaxation dynamics of soft matter. In this Tutorial, we introduce and discuss the physics of non-Maxwellian linear stress relaxation as observed in soft materials, the ascribed origins of this effect in different systems, and appropriate models that can be used to capture this relaxation behavior. We provide a basic toolkit that can assist the understanding and modeling of the mechanical relaxation of soft materials for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Song
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Niels Holten-Andersen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
| | - Gareth H McKinley
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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3
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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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4
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Liu H, Li W, Wu H, Huang Y, Hou Y, Wu Q, Wu J. Effect of Counterions on the Physicomechanical Properties of Copper-Nitrogen-Coordinated Metallosupramolecular Elastomers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:57281-57289. [PMID: 36513055 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c18631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Metallosupramolecular elastomers have attracted much attention due to their excellent mechanical properties, flexible tailoring of performance, and responsiveness to photo and thermal stimuli. The physicomechanical properties of metallosupramolecular elastomers are highly dependent on metal salts and ligand units; however, the role of counterions lacks practical exploration. To this end, we synthesized a simple acrylate copolymer model and introduced copper salts with different counterions to construct dynamic copper-nitrogen coordination cross-linked networks. This approach generated a series of elastomers with a tensile strength of over 10 MPa and a laser self-healing efficiency of over 90% within 2 min. In particular, we studied the effects of counterions on the thermodynamic, viscoelastic, mechanical, photothermal, and self-healing properties of the materials. Therefore, this work can provide instruction for the preparation and performance tailoring of metallosupramolecular elastomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Weihang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Haitao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yujia Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Qi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Jinrong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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5
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Eliaz D, Paul S, Benyamin D, Cernescu A, Cohen SR, Rosenhek-Goldian I, Brookstein O, Miali ME, Solomonov A, Greenblatt M, Levy Y, Raviv U, Barth A, Shimanovich U. Micro and nano-scale compartments guide the structural transition of silk protein monomers into silk fibers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7856. [PMID: 36543800 PMCID: PMC9772184 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35505-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk is a unique, remarkably strong biomaterial made of simple protein building blocks. To date, no synthetic method has come close to reproducing the properties of natural silk, due to the complexity and insufficient understanding of the mechanism of the silk fiber formation. Here, we use a combination of bulk analytical techniques and nanoscale analytical methods, including nano-infrared spectroscopy coupled with atomic force microscopy, to probe the structural characteristics directly, transitions, and evolution of the associated mechanical properties of silk protein species corresponding to the supramolecular phase states inside the silkworm's silk gland. We found that the key step in silk-fiber production is the formation of nanoscale compartments that guide the structural transition of proteins from their native fold into crystalline β-sheets. Remarkably, this process is reversible. Such reversibility enables the remodeling of the final mechanical characteristics of silk materials. These results open a new route for tailoring silk processing for a wide range of new material formats by controlling the structural transitions and self-assembly of the silk protein's supramolecular phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Eliaz
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - S. Paul
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D. Benyamin
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - A. Cernescu
- grid.431971.9Neaspec—Attocube Systems AG, Eglfinger Weg 2, Haar, 85540 Munich Germany
| | - S. R. Cohen
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Re-hovot, Israel
| | - I. Rosenhek-Goldian
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Re-hovot, Israel
| | - O. Brookstein
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - M. E. Miali
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - A. Solomonov
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - M. Greenblatt
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Y. Levy
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - U. Raviv
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - A. Barth
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - U. Shimanovich
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
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6
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Connor JP, Quinn SD, Schaefer C. Sticker-and-spacer model for amyloid beta condensation and fibrillation. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:962526. [PMID: 36311031 PMCID: PMC9611774 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.962526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A major pathogenic hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the presence of neurotoxic plaques composed of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides in patients' brains. The pathway of plaque formation remains elusive, though some clues appear to lie in the dominant presence of Aβ1 − 42 in these plaques despite Aβ1−40 making up approximately 90% of the Aβ pool. We hypothesize that this asymmetry is driven by the hydrophobicity of the two extra amino acids that are incorporated in Aβ1−42. To investigate this hypothesis at the level of single molecules, we have developed a molecular “sticker-and-spacer lattice model” of unfolded Aβ. The model protein has a single sticker that may reversibly dimerise and elongate into semi-flexible linear chains. The growth is hampered by excluded-volume interactions that are encoded by the hydrophilic spacers but are rendered cooperative by the attractive interactions of hydrophobic spacers. For sufficiently strong hydrophobicity, the chains undergo liquid-liquid phase-separation (LLPS) into condensates that facilitate the nucleation of fibers. We find that a small fraction of Aβ1−40 in a mixture of Aβ1−40 and Aβ1−42 shifts the critical concentration for LLPS to lower values. This study provides theoretical support for the hypothesis that LLPS condensates act as a precursor for aggregation and provides an explanation for the Aβ1−42-enrichment of aggregates in terms of hydrophobic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack P. Connor
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Jack P. Connor
| | - Steven D. Quinn
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Charley Schaefer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Charley Schaefer
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7
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Cai P, Su B, Zou L, Webber MJ, Heilshorn SC, Spakowitz AJ. Rheological Characterization and Theoretical Modeling Establish Molecular Design Rules for Tailored Dynamically Associating Polymers. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:1318-1327. [PMID: 36188349 PMCID: PMC9523779 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Dynamically associating polymers have long been of interest due to their highly tunable viscoelastic behavior. Many applications leverage this tunability to create materials that have specific rheological properties, but designing such materials is an arduous, iterative process. Current models for dynamically associating polymers are phenomenological, assuming a structure for the relationship between association kinetics and network relaxation. We present the Brachiation model, a molecular-level theory of a polymer network with dynamic associations that is rooted in experimentally controllable design parameters, replacing the iterative experimental process with a predictive model for how experimental modifications to the polymer will impact rheological behavior. We synthesize hyaluronic acid chains modified with supramolecular host-guest motifs to serve as a prototypical dynamic network exhibiting tunable physical properties through control of polymer concentration and association rates. We use dynamic light scattering microrheology to measure the linear viscoelasticity of these polymers across six decades in frequency and fit our theory parameters to the measured data. The parameters are then altered by a magnitude corresponding to changes made to the experimental parameters and used to obtain new rheological predictions that match the experimental results well, demonstrating the ability for this theory to inform the design process of dynamically associating polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela
C. Cai
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Bo Su
- Department
of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre
Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Lei Zou
- Department
of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre
Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Matthew J. Webber
- Department
of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre
Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Sarah C. Heilshorn
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Andrew J. Spakowitz
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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8
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Goh R, Yoshida E, Schaible E, Behrens R, Monnier CA, Killingsworth B, Kong KW, Hiew SH, Miserez A, Hoon S, Waite JH. Nanolattice-Forming Hybrid Collagens in Protective Shark Egg Cases. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2878-2890. [PMID: 35748755 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nanoscopic structural control with long-range ordering remains a profound challenge in nanomaterial fabrication. The nanoarchitectured egg cases of elasmobranchs rely on a hierarchically ordered latticework for their protective function─serving as an exemplary system for nanoscale self-assembly. Although the proteinaceous precursors are known to undergo intermediate liquid crystalline phase transitions before being structurally arrested in the final nanolattice architecture, their sequences have so far remained unknown. By leveraging RNA-seq and proteomic techniques, we identified a cohort of nanolattice-forming proteins comprising a collagenous midblock flanked by domains typically associated with innate immunity and network-forming collagens. Structurally homologous proteins were found in the genomes of other egg-case-producing cartilaginous fishes, suggesting a conserved molecular self-assembly strategy. The identity and stabilizing role of cross-links were subsequently elucidated using mass spectrometry and in situ small-angle X-ray scattering. Our findings provide a new design approach for protein-based liquid crystalline elastomers and the self-assembly of nanolattices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubayn Goh
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.,Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 136834, Singapore
| | - Eric Yoshida
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Eric Schaible
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Rachel Behrens
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Christophe A Monnier
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Bradley Killingsworth
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Kiat Whye Kong
- Molecular Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Shu Hui Hiew
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore 639798, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Ali Miserez
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore 639798, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Shawn Hoon
- Molecular Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - J Herbert Waite
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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9
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Laity PR, Holland C. Seeking Solvation: Exploring the Role of Protein Hydration in Silk Gelation. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27020551. [PMID: 35056868 PMCID: PMC8781151 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27020551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism by which arthropods (e.g., spiders and many insects) can produce silk fibres from an aqueous protein (fibroin) solution has remained elusive, despite much scientific investigation. In this work, we used several techniques to explore the role of a hydration shell bound to the fibroin in native silk feedstock (NSF) from Bombyx mori silkworms. Small angle X-ray and dynamic light scattering (SAXS and DLS) revealed a coil size (radius of gyration or hydrodynamic radius) around 12 nm, providing considerable scope for hydration. Aggregation in dilute aqueous solution was observed above 65 °C, matching the gelation temperature of more concentrated solutions and suggesting that the strength of interaction with the solvent (i.e., water) was the dominant factor. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy indicated decreasing hydration as the temperature was raised, with similar changes in hydration following gelation by freezing or heating. It was found that the solubility of fibroin in water or aqueous salt solutions could be described well by a relatively simple thermodynamic model for the stability of the protein hydration shell, which suggests that the affected water is enthalpically favoured but entropically penalised, due to its reduced (vibrational or translational) dynamics. Moreover, while the majority of this investigation used fibroin from B. mori, comparisons with published work on silk proteins from other silkworms and spiders, globular proteins and peptide model systems suggest that our findings may be of much wider significance.
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10
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Shao J, Jiang N, Zhang H, Yang Y, Tang P. Sticky Rouse Model and Molecular Dynamics Simulation for Dual Polymer Networks. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Nuofei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hongdong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yuliang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ping Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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11
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Lutz TM, Kimna C, Casini A, Lieleg O. Bio-based and bio-inspired adhesives from animals and plants for biomedical applications. Mater Today Bio 2022; 13:100203. [PMID: 35079700 PMCID: PMC8777159 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With the "many-headed" slime mold Physarum polycelphalum having been voted the unicellular organism of the year 2021 by the German Society of Protozoology, we are reminded that a large part of nature's huge variety of life forms is easily overlooked - both by the general public and researchers alike. Indeed, whereas several animals such as mussels or spiders have already inspired many scientists to create novel materials with glue-like properties, there is much more to discover in the flora and fauna. Here, we provide an overview of naturally occurring slimy substances with adhesive properties and categorize them in terms of the main chemical motifs that convey their stickiness, i.e., carbohydrate-, protein-, and glycoprotein-based biological glues. Furthermore, we highlight selected recent developments in the area of material design and functionalization that aim at making use of such biological compounds for novel applications in medicine - either by conjugating adhesive motifs found in nature to biological or synthetic macromolecules or by synthetically creating (multi-)functional materials, which combine adhesive properties with additional, problem-specific (and sometimes tunable) features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa M. Lutz
- School of Engineering and Design, Department of Materials Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching, 85748, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer Str. 8, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Ceren Kimna
- School of Engineering and Design, Department of Materials Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching, 85748, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer Str. 8, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Angela Casini
- Chair of Medicinal and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Oliver Lieleg
- School of Engineering and Design, Department of Materials Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching, 85748, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer Str. 8, Garching, 85748, Germany
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12
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Structure of Silk I ( Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin before Spinning) -Type II β-Turn, Not α-Helix. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26123706. [PMID: 34204550 PMCID: PMC8234240 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, considerable attention has been paid to Bombyx mori silk fibroin by a range of scientists from polymer chemists to biomaterial researchers because it has excellent physical properties, such as strength, toughness, and biocompatibility. These appealing physical properties originate from the silk fibroin structure, and therefore, structural determinations of silk fibroin before (silk I) and after (silk II) spinning are a key to make wider applications of silk. There are discrepancies about the silk I structural model, i.e., one is type II β-turn structure determined using many solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopies together with selectively stable isotope-labeled model peptides, but another is α-helix or partially α-helix structure speculated using IR and Raman methods. In this review, firstly, the process that led to type II β-turn structure by the authors was introduced in detail. Then the problems in speculating silk I structure by IR and Raman methods were pointed out together with the problem in the assignment of the amide I band in the spectra. It has been emphasized that the conformational analyses of proteins and peptides from IR and Raman studies are not straightforward and should be very careful when the proteins contain β-turn structure using many experimental data by Vass et al. In conclusion, the author emphasized here that silk I structure should be type II β-turn, not α-helix.
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13
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Schaefer C, Laity PR, Holland C, McLeish TCB. Stretching of Bombyx mori Silk Protein in Flow. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26061663. [PMID: 33809814 PMCID: PMC8002474 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The flow-induced self-assembly of entangled Bombyx mori silk proteins is hypothesised to be aided by the ‘registration’ of aligned protein chains using intermolecularly interacting ‘sticky’ patches. This suggests that upon chain alignment, a hierarchical network forms that collectively stretches and induces nucleation in a precisely controlled way. Through the lens of polymer physics, we argue that if all chains would stretch to a similar extent, a clear correlation length of the stickers in the direction of the flow emerges, which may indeed favour such a registration effect. Through simulations in both extensional flow and shear, we show that there is, on the other hand, a very broad distribution of protein–chain stretch, which suggests the registration of proteins is not directly coupled to the applied strain, but may be a slow statistical process. This qualitative prediction seems to be consistent with the large strains (i.e., at long time scales) required to induce gelation in our rheological measurements under constant shear. We discuss our perspective of how the flow-induced self-assembly of silk may be addressed by new experiments and model development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charley Schaefer
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK;
- Correspondence:
| | - Peter R. Laity
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK; (P.R.L.); (C.H.)
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK; (P.R.L.); (C.H.)
| | - Tom C. B. McLeish
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK;
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14
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Seib FP. Emerging Silk Material Trends: Repurposing, Phase Separation and Solution-Based Designs. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:1160. [PMID: 33804578 PMCID: PMC7957590 DOI: 10.3390/ma14051160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Silk continues to amaze. This review unravels the most recent progress in silk science, spanning from fundamental insights to medical silks. Key advances in silk flow are examined, with specific reference to the role of metal ions in switching silk from a storage to a spinning state. Orthogonal thermoplastic silk molding is described, as is the transfer of silk flow principles for the triggering of flow-induced crystallization in other non-silk polymers. Other exciting new developments include silk-inspired liquid-liquid phase separation for non-canonical fiber formation and the creation of "silk organelles" in live cells. This review closes by examining the role of silk fabrics in fashioning facemasks in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Philipp Seib
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
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15
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Schaefer C, McLeish TCB. Power Law Stretching of Associating Polymers in Steady-State Extensional Flow. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 126:057801. [PMID: 33605750 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.126.057801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a tube model for the Brownian dynamics of associating polymers in extensional flow. In linear response, the model confirms the analytical predictions for the sticky diffusivity by Leibler-Rubinstein-Colby theory. Although a single-mode Doi-Edwards-Marrucci-Grizzuti approximation accurately describes the transient stretching of the polymers above a "sticky" Weissenberg number (product of the strain rate with the sticky-Rouse time), the preaveraged model fails to capture a remarkable development of a power law distribution of stretch in steady-state extensional flow: while the mean stretch is finite, the fluctuations in stretch may diverge. We present an analytical model that shows how strong stochastic forcing drives the long tail of the distribution, gives rise to rare events of reaching a threshold stretch, and constitutes a framework within which nucleation rates of flow-induced crystallization may be understood in systems of associating polymers under flow. The model also exemplifies a wide class of driven systems possessing strong, and scaling, fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charley Schaefer
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Tom C B McLeish
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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16
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Arndt T, Laity PR, Johansson J, Holland C, Rising A. Native-like Flow Properties of an Artificial Spider Silk Dope. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:462-471. [PMID: 33397078 PMCID: PMC7869106 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Recombinant
spider silk has emerged as a biomaterial that can circumvent
problems associated with synthetic and naturally derived polymers,
while still fulfilling the potential of the native material. The artificial
spider silk protein NT2RepCT can be produced and spun into fibers
without the use of harsh chemicals and here we evaluate key properties of NT2RepCT
dope at native-like concentrations. We show that NT2RepCT recapitulates
not only the overall secondary structure content of a native silk
dope but also emulates its viscoelastic rheological properties. We
propose that these properties are key to biomimetic spinning and that
optimization of rheological properties could facilitate successful
spinning of artificial dopes into fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Arndt
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden
| | - Peter R Laity
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Rising
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
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17
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Koeppel A, Laity PR, Holland C. The influence of metal ions on native silk rheology. Acta Biomater 2020; 117:204-212. [PMID: 33007482 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Whilst flow is the basis for silk fibre formation, subtle changes in a silk feedstocks' chemical environment may serve to increase both energetic efficiency and control hierarchical structure development during spinning. Despite the role of pH being largely understood, the influence of metal ions is not, only being inferred by correlative work and observations. Through a combination of rheology and microscopy, we provide a causative study of how the most abundant metal ions in the silk feedstock, Ca2+ and K+, affect its flow properties and structure. Our results show that Ca2+ ions increase viscosity and prevent molecular alignment and aggregation, providing ideal storage conditions for unspun silk. In contrast, the addition of K+ ions promotes molecular alignment and aggregation and therefore seems to transfer the silk feedstock into a spinning state which confirms recent 'sticky reptation' modelling hypotheses. Additionally, we characterised the influence of the ubiquitous kosmotropic agent Li+, used to prepare regenerated silk solutions, and find that it promotes molecular alignment and prevents aggregation which may permit a range of interesting artificial silk processing techniques to be developed. In summary, our results provide a clearer picture of how metal ions co-ordinate, control and thus contribute towards silk protein self-assembly which in turn can inspire structuring approaches in other biopolymer systems.
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18
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Zhang X, Vidavsky Y, Aharonovich S, Yang SJ, Buche MR, Diesendruck CE, Silberstein MN. Bridging experiments and theory: isolating the effects of metal-ligand interactions on viscoelasticity of reversible polymer networks. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:8591-8601. [PMID: 32785407 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01115k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Polymer networks cross-linked by reversible metal-ligand interactions possess versatile mechanical properties achieved simply by varying the metal species and quantity. Although prior experiments have revealed the dependence of the network's viscoelastic behavior on the dynamics of metal-ligand interaction, a theoretical framework with quantitative relations that would enable efficient material design, is still lacking. One major challenge is isolating the effect of metal-ligand interaction from other factors in the polymer matrix. To address this challenge, we designed a linear precursor free from solvents, chain entanglements and polymer-metal phase separation to ensure that relaxation of the network is mainly governed by the dissociation and association of the metal-ligand cross-links. The rheological behavior of the networks was thoroughly characterized regarding the changes in cross-link density, binding stoichiometry and coordination stability, allowing quantitative comparison between experimental results and the sticky Rouse model. Through this process, we noticed that the presence of reversible cross-links increases the network modulus at high frequency compared to the linear polymer, and that the effective metal-ligand dissociation time increases dramatically with increasing the cross-link density. Informed by these findings, we modified the expression of the sticky Rouse model. For the polymer in which the metal center and ligands bond in a paired association, the relaxation follows our enhanced sticky Rouse model. For the polymer in which each reversible cross-link consists of multiple metal centers and ligands, the relaxation timescale is significantly extended due to greater restriction on the polymer chains. This systematic study bridges experiments and theory, providing deeper understanding of the mechanical properties of metallopolymers and facilitating material design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Yuval Vidavsky
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
| | - Sinai Aharonovich
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Steven J Yang
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
| | - Michael R Buche
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
| | - Charles E Diesendruck
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Meredith N Silberstein
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
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19
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Fraternali F, Stehling N, Amendola A, Tiban Anrango BA, Holland C, Rodenburg C. Tensegrity Modelling and the High Toughness of Spider Dragline Silk. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 10:E1510. [PMID: 32752054 PMCID: PMC7466511 DOI: 10.3390/nano10081510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This work establishes a tensegrity model of spider dragline silk. Tensegrity systems are ubiquitous in nature, being able to capture the mechanics of biological shapes through simple and effective modes of deformation via extension and contraction. Guided by quantitative microstructural characterization via air plasma etching and low voltage scanning electron microscopy, we report that this model is able to capture experimentally observed phenomena such as the Poisson effect, tensile stress-strain response, and fibre toughness. This is achieved by accounting for spider silks' hierarchical organization into microfibrils with radially variable properties. Each fibril is described as a chain of polypeptide tensegrity units formed by crystalline granules operating under compression, which are connected to each other by amorphous links acting under tension. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that a radial variability in the ductility of tensegrity chains is responsible for high fibre toughness, a defining and desirable feature of spider silk. Based on this model, a discussion about the use of graded tensegrity structures for the optimal design of next-generation biomimetic fibres is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Fraternali
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Nicola Stehling
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Ada Amendola
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Bryan Andres Tiban Anrango
- Centre for Biomedical and Chemical Science School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
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20
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Finnigan W, Roberts AD, Ligorio C, Scrutton NS, Breitling R, Blaker JJ, Takano E. The effect of terminal globular domains on the response of recombinant mini-spidroins to fiber spinning triggers. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10671. [PMID: 32606438 PMCID: PMC7327021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider silk spidroins consist of long repetitive protein strands, flanked by globular terminal domains. The globular domains are often omitted in recombinant spidroins, but are thought to be essential for the spiders' natural spinning process. Mimicking this spinning process could be an essential step towards producing strong synthetic spider silk. Here we describe the production of a range of mini-spidroins with both terminal domains, and characterize their response to a number of biomimetic spinning triggers. Our results suggest that mini-spidroins which are able to form protein micelles due to the addition of both terminal domains exhibit shear-thinning, a property which native spidroins also show. Furthermore, our data also suggest that a pH drop alone is insufficient to trigger assembly in a wet-spinning process, and must be combined with salting-out for effective fiber formation. With these insights, we applied these assembly triggers for relatively biomimetic wet spinning. This work adds to the foundation of literature for developing improved biomimetic spinning techniques, which ought to result in synthetic silk that more closely approximates the unique properties of native spider silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Finnigan
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Aled D Roberts
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Cosimo Ligorio
- Department of Materials, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Nigel S Scrutton
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Jonny J Blaker
- Bio-Active Materials Group, Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Eriko Takano
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK.
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