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Kim K, Kloxin CJ, Saven JG, Pochan DJ. Nanofibers Produced by Electrospinning of Ultrarigid Polymer Rods Made from Designed Peptide Bundlemers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:26339-26351. [PMID: 34029045 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c04027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mimicking the hierarchical assembly of natural fiber materials is an important design challenge in the manufacturing of nanostructured materials with biomolecules such as peptides. Here, we produce nanofibers with control of structure over multiple length scales, ranging from peptide molecule assembly into supramolecular building blocks called "bundlemers," to rigid-rod formation through a covalent connection of bundlemer building blocks, and, ultimately, to uniaxially oriented fibers made with the rigid-rod polymers. The peptides are designed to physically assemble into coiled-coil bundles, or bundlemers, and to covalently interact in an end-to-end fashion to produce the rigid-rod polymer. The resultant rodlike polymer exhibits a rigid, cylindrical nanostructure confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and, correspondingly, exhibits shear-thinning behavior at low shear rates observed in many nanoscopic rod systems. The rigid-rod chains are further organized into final fiber materials via electrospinning processing, all the while preserving their unique rodlike structural characteristics. Morphological and structural investigations of the nanofibers through scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray scattering, as well as molecular characterization via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, show that continuous nanofibers are composed of oriented rigid-rod chains constituted by α-helical peptides within bundle building blocks. Mechanical properties of electrospun fibers are also presented. The ability to produce nanofibers from the oriented rigid-rod polymer reveals bundlemer chains as a viable tool for the development of new fiber materials with targeted structure and properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyunghee Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Christopher J Kloxin
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Jeffery G Saven
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Darrin J Pochan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
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Direct Recovery of the Rare Earth Elements Using a Silk Displaying a Metal-Recognizing Peptide. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25030761. [PMID: 32050621 PMCID: PMC7037070 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare earth elements (RE) are indispensable metallic resources in the production of advanced materials; hence, a cost- and energy-effective recovery process is required to meet the rapidly increasing RE demand. Here, we propose an artificial RE recovery approach that uses a functional silk displaying a RE-recognizing peptide. Using the piggyBac system, we constructed a transgenic silkworm in which one or two copies of the gene coding for the RE-recognizing peptide (Lamp1) was fused with that of the fibroin L (FibL) protein. The purified FibL-Lamp1 fusion protein from the transgenic silkworm was able to recognize dysprosium (Dy3+), a RE, under physiological conditions. This method can also be used with silk from which sericin has been removed. Furthermore, the Dy-recovery ability of this silk was significantly improved by crushing the silk. Our simple approach is expected to facilitate the direct recovery of RE from an actual mixed solution of metal ions, such as seawater and industrial wastewater, under mild conditions without additional energy input.
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3
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Moseti KO, Yoshioka T, Kameda T, Nakazawa Y. Structure Water-Solubility Relationship in α-Helix-Rich Films Cast from Aqueous and 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-Propanol Solutions of S. c. ricini Silk Fibroin. Molecules 2019; 24:E3945. [PMID: 31683683 PMCID: PMC6864477 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24213945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk fibroin (SF) produced by the domesticated wild silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini (S. c. ricini) is attracting increasing interest owing to its unique mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and abundance in nature. However, its utilization is limited, largely due to lack of appropriate processing strategies. Various strategies have been assessed to regenerate cocoon SF, as well as the use of aqueous liquid fibroin (LFaq) prepared by dissolution of silk dope obtained from the silk glands of mature silkworm larvae in water. However, films cast from these fibroin solutions in water or organic solvents are often water-soluble and require post-treatment to render them water-stable. Here, we present a strategy for fabrication of water-stable films from S. c. ricini silk gland fibroin (SGF) without post-treatment. Aqueous ethanol induced gelation of fibroin in the posterior silk glands (PSG), enabling its separation from the rest of the silk gland. When dissolved in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), the SGF-gel gave a solution from which a transparent, flexible, and water-insoluble film (SGFHFIP) was cast. Detailed structural characterization of the SGFHFIP as-cast film was carried out and compared to a conventional, water-soluble film cast from LFaq. FTIR and 13C solid-state NMR analyses revealed both cast films to be α-helix-rich. However, gelation of SGF induced by the 40%-EtOH-treatment resulted in an imperfect β-sheet structure. As a result, the SGF-gel was soluble in HFIP, but some β-sheet structural memory remains, and the SGFHFIP as-cast film obtained has some β-sheet content which renders it water-resistant. These results reveal a structure water-solubility relationship in S. c. ricini SF films that may offer useful insights towards tunable fabrication of novel biomaterials. A plausible model of the mechanism that leads to the difference in water resistance of the two kinds of α-helix-rich films is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin O Moseti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
- Silk Materials Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
- National Sericulture Research Centre, Industrial Crops Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Thika P.O. Box 7816-01000, Kenya.
| | - Taiyo Yoshioka
- Silk Materials Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Tsunenori Kameda
- Silk Materials Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Yasumoto Nakazawa
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
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4
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From macroscopic mechanics to cell-effective stiffness within highly aligned macroporous collagen scaffolds. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2019; 103:109760. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2019.109760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Whaite AD, Wang T, Macdonald J, Cummins SF. Major ampullate silk gland transcriptomes and fibre proteomes of the golden orb-weavers, Nephila plumipes and Nephila pilipes (Araneae: Nephilidae). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204243. [PMID: 30332416 PMCID: PMC6192577 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural spider silk is one of the world’s toughest proteinaceous materials, yet a truly biomimetic spider silk is elusive even after several decades of intense focus. In this study, Next-Generation Sequencing was utilised to produce transcriptomes of the major ampullate gland of two Australian golden orb-weavers, Nephila plumipes and Nephila pilipes, in order to identify highly expressed predicted proteins that may co-factor in the construction of the final polymer. Furthermore, proteomics was performed by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectroscopy to analyse the natural solid silk fibre of each species to confirm highly expressed predicted proteins within the silk gland are present in the final silk product. We assembled the silk gland transcriptomes of N. plumipes and N. pilipes into 69,812 and 70,123 contigs, respectively. Gene expression analysis revealed that silk gene sequences were among the most highly expressed and we were able to procure silk sequences from both species in excess of 1,300 amino acids. However, some of the genes with the highest expression values were not able to be identified from our proteomic analysis. Proteome analysis of “reeled” silk fibres of N. plumipes and N. pilipes revealed 29 and 18 proteins, respectively, most of which were identified as silk fibre proteins. This study is the first silk gland specific transcriptome and proteome analysis for these species and will assist in the future development of a biomimetic spider silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra D Whaite
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tianfang Wang
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Joanne Macdonald
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia.,Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Scott F Cummins
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
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Woodhead AL, Church AT, Rapson TD, Trueman HE, Church JS, Sutherland TD. Confirmation of Bioinformatics Predictions of the Structural Domains in Honeybee Silk. Polymers (Basel) 2018; 10:E776. [PMID: 30960701 PMCID: PMC6403662 DOI: 10.3390/polym10070776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee larvae produce a silk made up of proteins in predominantly a coiled coil molecular structure. These proteins can be produced in recombinant systems, making them desirable templates for the design of advanced materials. However, the atomic level structure of these proteins is proving difficult to determine: firstly, because coiled coils are difficult to crystalize; and secondly, fibrous proteins crystalize as fibres rather than as discrete protein units. In this study, we synthesised peptides from the central structural domain, as well as the N- and C-terminal domains, of the honeybee silk. We used circular dichroism spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics to investigate the folding behaviour of the central domain peptides. We found that they folded as predicted by bioinformatics analysis, giving the protein engineer confidence in bioinformatics predictions to guide the design of new functionality into these protein templates. These results, along with the infrared structural analysis of the N- and C-terminal domain peptides and the comparison of peptide film properties with those of the full-length AmelF3 protein, provided significant insight into the structural elements required for honeybee silk protein to form into stable materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Trevor D Rapson
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Clunies Ross St, Black Mountain, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Holly E Trueman
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Clunies Ross St, Black Mountain, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Jeffrey S Church
- CSIRO Manufacturing, Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia.
- JPA Scientific, P.O. Box 2573, Chino Hills, CA 91709, USA.
| | - Tara D Sutherland
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Clunies Ross St, Black Mountain, ACT 2601, Australia.
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Yoshioka T, Kameda T, Tashiro K, Ohta N, Schaper AK. Transformation of Coiled α-Helices into Cross-β-Sheets Superstructure. Biomacromolecules 2017; 18:3892-3903. [PMID: 29084423 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b00920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The fibrous silk produced by bees, wasps, ants, or hornets is known to form a four-strand α-helical coiled coil superstructure. We have succeeded in showing the formation of this coiled coil structure not only in natural fibers, but also in artificial films made of regenerated silk of the hornet Vespa simillima xanthoptera using wide- and small-angle X-ray scatterings and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of time-resolved simultaneous synchrotron X-ray scattering observations for in situ monitoring of the structural changes in regenerated silk material during tensile deformation, we have shown that the application of tensile force under appropriate conditions induces a transition from the coiled α-helices to a cross-β-sheet superstructure. The four-stranded tertiary superstructure remains unchanged during this process. It has also been shown that the amorphous protein chains in the regenerated silk material are transformed into conventional β-sheet arrangements with varying orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiyo Yoshioka
- Silk Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) , 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Tsunenori Kameda
- Silk Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) , 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Kohji Tashiro
- Department of Future Industry-Oriented Basic Science and Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Toyota Technological Institute , Tempaku, Nagoya 468-8511, Japan
| | - Noboru Ohta
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1 Koto, Mikazuki-Cho, Sayo-Gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Andreas K Schaper
- Center for Materials Sciences, Philipps University of Marburg , 35032 Marburg, Germany
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Sutherland TD, Rapson TD, Huson MG, Church JS. Recombinant Structural Proteins and Their Use in Future Materials. Subcell Biochem 2017; 82:491-526. [PMID: 28101871 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-49674-0_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are polymers that offer the materials engineer absolute control over chain length and composition: key attributes required for design of advanced polymeric materials. Through this control, these polymers can be encoded to contain information that enables them to respond as the environment changes. However, despite their promise, protein-based materials are under-represented in materials science. In this chapter we investigate why this is and describe recent efforts to address this. We discuss constraints limiting rational design of structural proteins for advanced materials; advantages and disadvantages of different recombinant expression platforms; and, methods to fabricate proteins into solid-state materials. Finally, we describe the silk proteins used in our laboratory as templates for information-containing polymers.
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9
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Structural Analysis of Hand Drawn Bumblebee Bombus terrestris Silk. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17071170. [PMID: 27447623 PMCID: PMC4964541 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17071170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bombus terrestris, commonly known as the buff-tailed bumblebee, is native to Europe, parts of Africa and Asia. It is commercially bred for use as a pollinator of greenhouse crops. Larvae pupate within a silken cocoon that they construct from proteins produced in modified salivary glands. The amino acid composition and protein structure of hand drawn B. terrestris, silk fibres was investigated through the use of micro-Raman spectroscopy. Spectra were obtained from single fibres drawn from the larvae salivary gland at a rate of 0.14 cm/s. Raman spectroscopy enabled the identification of poly(alanine), poly(alanine-glycine), phenylalanine, tryptophan, and methionine, which is consistent with the results of amino acid analysis. The dominant protein conformation was found to be coiled coil (73%) while the β-sheet content of 10% is, as expected, lower than those reported for hornets and ants. Polarized Raman spectra revealed that the coiled coils were highly aligned along the fibre axis while the β-sheet and random coil components had their peptide carbonyl groups roughly perpendicular to the fibre axis. The protein orientation distribution is compared to those of other natural and recombinant silks. A structural model for the B. terrestris silk fibre is proposed based on these results.
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Huot A, Lefèvre T, Rioux-Dubé JF, Paquet-Mercier F, Nault AP, Auger M, Pézolet M. Effect of mechanical deformation on the structure of regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin films as revealed using Raman and infrared spectroscopy. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2015; 69:689-698. [PMID: 25954973 DOI: 10.1366/14-07776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To better understand the effect of mechanical stress during the spinning of silk, the protein orientation and conformation of Bombyx mori regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) films have been studied as a function of deformation in a static mode or in real time by tensile-Raman experiments and polarization modulation infrared linear dichroism (PM-IRLD), respectively. The data show that either for step-by-step or continuous stretching, elongation induces the progressive formation of β-sheets that align along the drawing axis, in particular above a draw ratio of ~2. The formation of β-sheets begins before their alignment during a continuous drawing. Unordered chains were, however, never found to be oriented, which explains the very low level of orientation of the amorphous phase of the natural fiber. Stress-perturbed unordered chains readily convert into β-sheets, the strain-induced transformation following a two-state process. The final level of orientation and β-sheet content are lower than those found in the native fiber, indicating that various parameters have to be optimized in order to implement a spinning process as efficient as the natural one. Finally, during the stress relaxation period in a step-by-step drawing, there is essentially no change of the content and orientation of the β-sheets, suggesting that only unordered structures tend to reorganize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandrine Huot
- Department of Chemistry, Centre de recherche sur les matériaux avancés, Centre québécois sur les matériaux fonctionnels, Regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, la structure et l'ingénierie des protéines, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6
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Zhang F, You X, Dou H, Liu Z, Zuo B, Zhang X. Facile fabrication of robust silk nanofibril films via direct dissolution of silk in CaCl2-formic acid solution. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:3352-61. [PMID: 25603225 DOI: 10.1021/am508319h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we report for the first time a novel silk fibroin (SF) nanofibrous films with robust mechanical properties that was fabricated by directly dissolving silk in CaCl2-formic acid solution. CaCl2-FA dissolved silk rapidly at room temperature, and more importantly, it disintegrated silk into nanofibrils instead of separate molecules. The morphology of nanofibrils crucially depended on CaCl2 concentrations, which resulted in different aggregation nanostructure in SF films. The SF film after drawing had maximum elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and strain at break reaching 4 GPa, 106 MPa, and 29%, respectively, in dry state and 206 MPa, 28 MPa, and 188%, respectively, in wet state. Moreover, multiple yielding phenomena and substantially strain-hardening behavior was also observed in the stretched films, indicating the important role played by preparation method in regulating the mechanical properties of SF films. These exceptional and unique mechanical properties were suggested to be caused by preserving silk nanofibril during dissolution and stretching to align these nanofibrils. Furthermore, the SF films exhibit excellent biocompatibility, supporting marrow stromal cells adhesion and proliferation. The film preparation was facile, and the resulting SF films manifested enhanced mechanical properties, unique nanofibrous structures, and good biocompability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- Medical College of Soochow University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Research, Soochow University , Suzhou 215123, China
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12
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Kameda T. Influence of pH, temperature, and concentration on stabilization of aqueous hornet silk solution and fabrication of salt-free materials. Biopolymers 2014; 103:41-52. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.22562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tsunenori Kameda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences; Tsukuba 305-8634 Japan
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13
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Kambe Y, Sutherland TD, Kameda T. Recombinant production and film properties of full-length hornet silk proteins. Acta Biomater 2014; 10:3590-8. [PMID: 24862540 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2014.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Full-length versions of the four main components of silk cocoons of Vespa simillima hornets, Vssilk1-4, were produced as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. In shake flasks, the recombinant Vssilk proteins yielded 160-330mg recombinant proteinl(-1). Films generated from solutions of single Vssilk proteins had a secondary structure similar to that of films generated from native hornet silk. The films made from individual recombinant hornet silk proteins had similar or enhanced mechanical performance compared with films generated from native hornet silk, possibly reflecting the homogeneity of the recombinant proteins. The pH-dependent changes in zeta (ζ) potential of each Vssilk film were measured, and isoelectric points (pI) of Vssilk1-4 were determined as 8.9, 9.1, 5.0 and 4.2, respectively. The pI of native hornet silk, a combination of the four Vssilk proteins, was 4.7, a value similar to that of Bombyx mori silkworm silk. Films generated from Vssilk1 and 2 had net positive charge under physiological conditions and showed significantly higher cell adhesion activity. It is proposed that recombinant hornet silk is a valuable new material with potential for cell culture applications.
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14
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Convergently-evolved structural anomalies in the coiled coil domains of insect silk proteins. J Struct Biol 2014; 186:402-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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15
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Campbell PM, Trueman HE, Zhang Q, Kojima K, Kameda T, Sutherland TD. Cross-linking in the silks of bees, ants and hornets. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 48:40-50. [PMID: 24607851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Silk production is integral to the construction of nests or cocoons for many Aculeata, stinging Hymenopterans such as ants, bees and wasps. Here we report the sequences of new aculeate silk proteins and compare cross-linking among nine native silks from three bee species (Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Megachile rotundata), three ant species (Myrmecia forficata, Oecophylla smaragdina and Harpegnathos saltator) and three hornets (Vespa analis, Vespa simillima and Vespa mandarinia). The well studied silks of spiders and silkworms are comprised of large proteins that are cross-linked and stabilized predominantly by intra and intermolecular beta sheet structure. In contrast, the aculeate silks are comprised of relatively small proteins that contain central coiled coil domains and comparatively reduced amounts of beta sheet structure. The hornet silks, which have the most beta sheet structure and the greatest amount of amino acid sequence outside the coiled-coil domains, dissolve in concentrated LiBr solution and appear to be stabilized predominantly by beta sheet structure like the classic silks. In contrast, the ant and bee silks, which have less beta sheet and less sequence outside the coiled-coil domains, could not be dissolved in LiBr and appear to be predominantly stabilized by covalent cross-linking. The iso-peptide cross-linker, ε-(γ-glutamyl)-lysine that is produced by transglutaminase enzymes, was demonstrated to be present in all silks by mass spectrometry, but at greater levels in silks of ants and bees. The bee silks and ant cocoons, but not the Oecophylla nest silks, appeared to be further stabilized by tanning reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Campbell
- Ecosystem Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
| | - Holly E Trueman
- Ecosystem Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Qiang Zhang
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Katsura Kojima
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Tsunenori Kameda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Tara D Sutherland
- Ecosystem Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Kameda T, Nemoto T, Ogawa T, Tosaka M, Kurata H, Schaper AK. Evidence of α-helical coiled coils and β-sheets in hornet silk. J Struct Biol 2014; 185:303-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2013.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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18
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Huson MG, Church JS, Poole JM, Weisman S, Sriskantha A, Warden AC, Campbell PM, Ramshaw JAM, Sutherland TD. Controlling the molecular structure and physical properties of artificial honeybee silk by heating or by immersion in solvents. PLoS One 2012; 7:e52308. [PMID: 23300639 PMCID: PMC3533894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2012] [Accepted: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee larvae produce silken cocoons that provide mechanical stability to the hive. The silk proteins are small and non-repetitive and therefore can be produced at large scale by fermentation in E. coli. The recombinant proteins can be fabricated into a range of forms; however the resultant material is soluble in water and requires a post production stabilizing treatment. In this study, we describe the structural and mechanical properties of sponges fabricated from artificial honeybee silk proteins that have been stabilized in aqueous methanol baths or by dry heating. Aqueous methanol treatment induces formation of ß-sheets, with the amount of ß-sheet dictated by methanol concentration. Formation of ß-sheets renders sponges insoluble in water and generates a reversibly compressible material. Dry heat treatments at 190°C produce a water insoluble material, that is stiffer than the methanol treated equivalent but without significant secondary structural changes. Honeybee silk proteins are particularly high in Lys, Ser, Thr, Glu and Asp. The properties of the heat treated material are attributed to generation of lysinoalanine, amide (isopeptide) and/or ester covalent cross-links. The unique ability to stabilize material by controlling secondary structure rearrangement and covalent cross-linking allows us to design recombinant silk materials with a wide range of properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickey G Huson
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Materials Science and Engineering, Geelong, Australia.
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19
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Walker AA, Weisman S, Kameda T, Sutherland TD. Natural Templates for Coiled-Coil Biomaterials from Praying Mantis Egg Cases. Biomacromolecules 2012; 13:4264-72. [DOI: 10.1021/bm301570v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. Walker
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia,
0200
- Ecosystem Sciences,
Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain Laboratories, Acton, Canberra, Australia, 2601
| | - Sarah Weisman
- Ecosystem Sciences,
Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain Laboratories, Acton, Canberra, Australia, 2601
| | - Tsunenori Kameda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukaba, Ibaraki, Japan,
305-8602
| | - Tara D. Sutherland
- Ecosystem Sciences,
Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain Laboratories, Acton, Canberra, Australia, 2601
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20
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Hattori S, Terada D, Bintang AB, Honda T, Yoshikawa C, Teramoto H, Kameda T, Yasushi T, Kobayashi H. Influence of sterilisations on silk protein-based materials. BIOINSPIRED BIOMIMETIC AND NANOBIOMATERIALS 2012. [DOI: 10.1680/bbn.11.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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21
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Quantifying the fraction of alanine residues in an α-helical conformation in hornet silk using solid-state NMR. Polym J 2012. [DOI: 10.1038/pj.2012.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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22
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Kameda T, Kojima K, Zhang Q, Sezutsu H. Identification of hornet silk gene with a characteristic repetitive sequence in Vespa simillima xanthoptera. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2012; 161:17-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2011.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2011] [Revised: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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The coiled coil silk of bees, ants, and hornets. Biopolymers 2011; 97:446-54. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.21702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2011] [Revised: 07/26/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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24
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Sutherland TD, Church JS, Hu X, Huson MG, Kaplan DL, Weisman S. Single honeybee silk protein mimics properties of multi-protein silk. PLoS One 2011; 6:e16489. [PMID: 21311767 PMCID: PMC3032785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2010] [Accepted: 12/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee silk is composed of four fibrous proteins that, unlike other silks, are readily synthesized at full-length and high yield. The four silk genes have been conserved for over 150 million years in all investigated bee, ant and hornet species, implying a distinct functional role for each protein. However, the amino acid composition and molecular architecture of the proteins are similar, suggesting functional redundancy. In this study we compare materials generated from a single honeybee silk protein to materials containing all four recombinant proteins or to natural honeybee silk. We analyse solution conformation by dynamic light scattering and circular dichroism, solid state structure by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and fiber tensile properties by stress-strain analysis. The results demonstrate that fibers artificially generated from a single recombinant silk protein can reproduce the structural and mechanical properties of the natural silk. The importance of the four protein complex found in natural silk may lie in biological silk storage or hierarchical self-assembly. The finding that the functional properties of the mature material can be achieved with a single protein greatly simplifies the route to production for artificial honeybee silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara D Sutherland
- Entomology Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australia.
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25
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Yin J, Chen E, Porter D, Shao Z. Enhancing the Toughness of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Film through Uniaxial Extension. Biomacromolecules 2010; 11:2890-5. [DOI: 10.1021/bm100643q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Yin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Advanced Materials Laboratory, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Erqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Advanced Materials Laboratory, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - David Porter
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Advanced Materials Laboratory, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Advanced Materials Laboratory, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
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26
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KAMEDA T, KOJIMA K, SEZUTSU H, ZHANG Q, TERAMOTO H, TAMADA Y. Hornet (Vespa) Silk Composed of Coiled-Coil Proteins. KOBUNSHI RONBUNSHU 2010. [DOI: 10.1295/koron.67.641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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