1
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Liu H, Lu LY, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Liu C, Zhu L, Li Q, Chen S. Covalently cross-linked ultrastrong SiO 2-loaded polyvinyl alcohol fibers via microfluidic spinning. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:12007-12012. [PMID: 38805180 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01336k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber materials have gained immense recognition due to their good biocompatibility and wide applications. However, methods allowing the synergistic enhancement of mechanical strength and toughness of PVA fibers still remain a key challenge. To this end, we developed covalently cross-linked ultrastrong SiO2-loaded polyvinyl alcohol fibers via a microfluidic spinning chemistry strategy. The thermal stretching and annealing processes not only promote the ordered arrangement of molecules, but also facilitate the ring opening reaction and increase crystallinity. Thus, the resulting fiber has a high tensile strength of 866 MPa, a specific toughness of 288 J g-1 and a tensile strain of 80%. This work provides a covalent cross-linking reinforcement method to prepare ultrastrong composite fibers assisted by microfluidic spinning chemistry and thermal stretching, which would lead to the fabrication of mechanically strong fiber materials through a simple pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Ling-Yu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yujiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Jin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Liangliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Su Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China.
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2
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Nawaz T, Gu L, Gibbons J, Hu Z, Zhou R. Bridging Nature and Engineering: Protein-Derived Materials for Bio-Inspired Applications. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:373. [PMID: 38921253 PMCID: PMC11201842 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9060373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The sophisticated, elegant protein-polymers designed by nature can serve as inspiration to redesign and biomanufacture protein-based materials using synthetic biology. Historically, petro-based polymeric materials have dominated industrial activities, consequently transforming our way of living. While this benefits humans, the fabrication and disposal of these materials causes environmental sustainability challenges. Fortunately, protein-based biopolymers can compete with and potentially surpass the performance of petro-based polymers because they can be biologically produced and degraded in an environmentally friendly fashion. This paper reviews four groups of protein-based polymers, including fibrous proteins (collagen, silk fibroin, fibrillin, and keratin), elastomeric proteins (elastin, resilin, and wheat glutenin), adhesive/matrix proteins (spongin and conchiolin), and cyanophycin. We discuss the connection between protein sequence, structure, function, and biomimetic applications. Protein engineering techniques, such as directed evolution and rational design, can be used to improve the functionality of natural protein-based materials. For example, the inclusion of specific protein domains, particularly those observed in structural proteins, such as silk and collagen, enables the creation of novel biomimetic materials with exceptional mechanical properties and adaptability. This review also discusses recent advancements in the production and application of new protein-based materials through the approach of synthetic biology combined biomimetics, providing insight for future research and development of cutting-edge bio-inspired products. Protein-based polymers that utilize nature's designs as a base, then modified by advancements at the intersection of biology and engineering, may provide mankind with more sustainable products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taufiq Nawaz
- Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA;
| | - Liping Gu
- Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA;
| | | | - Zhong Hu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA;
| | - Ruanbao Zhou
- Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA;
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3
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Liang J, Xu J, Zheng J, Zhou L, Yang W, Liu E, Zhu Y, Zhou Q, Liu Y, Wang R, Liu Z. Bioinspired Mechanically Robust and Recyclable Hydrogel Microfibers Based on Hydrogen-Bond Nanoclusters. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2401278. [PMID: 38622885 PMCID: PMC11186113 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Mechanically robust hydrogel fibers have demonstrated great potential in energy dissipation and shock-absorbing applications. However, developing such materials that are recyclable, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly remains an enormous challenge. Herein, inspired by spider silk, a continuous and scalable method is introduced for spinning a polyacrylamide hydrogel microfiber with a hierarchical sheath-core structure under ambient conditions. Applying pre-stretch and twist in the as-spun hydrogel microfibers results in a tensile strength of 525 MPa, a toughness of 385 MJ m-3, and a damping capacity of 99%, which is attributed to the reinforcement of hydrogen-bond nanoclusters within the microfiber matrix. Moreover, it maintains both structural and mechanical stability for several days, and can be directly dissolved in water, providing a sustainable spinning dope for re-spinning into new microfibers. This work provides a new strategy for the spinning of robust and recyclable hydrogel-based fibrous materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingye Liang
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Jishuai Xu
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Jingxuan Zheng
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Lijuan Zhou
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Weiping Yang
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Enzhao Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic‐Molecular Function of Cardiovascular diseaseDepartment of CardiologyTianjin Institute of Cardiologythe Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin300211China
| | - Yutian Zhu
- College of MaterialsChemistry and Chemical EngineeringHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhou311121China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of OrthopaedicsTianjin First Central HospitalNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Yong Liu
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Run Wang
- School of Textile Science and EngineeringTiangong University399 West Binshui RoadTianjin300387China
| | - Zunfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical BiologyKey Laboratory of Functional Polymer MaterialsCollege of Chemistry Frontiers Science Center for New Organic MatterNankai University94 Weijin RoadTianjin300071China
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4
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Wang M, Yang Z, Jia B, Qin D, Liu Y, Wang F, Sun J, Zhang H, Li J, Liu K. Modular Protein Fibers with Outstanding High-Strength and Acid-Resistance Performance Mediated by Copper Ion Binding and Imine Networking. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2400544. [PMID: 38390909 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202400544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Engineered protein fibers are promising biomaterials with diverse applications due to their tunable protein structure and outstanding mechanical properties. However, it remains challenging at the molecular level to achieve satisfied mechanical properties and environmental tolerance simultaneously, especially under extreme acid conditions. Herein, the construction of artificial fibers comprising chimeric proteins made of rigid amyloid peptide and flexible cationic elastin-like protein (ELP) module is reported. The amyloid peptide readily assembles into highly organized β-sheet structures that can be further strengthened by the coordination of Cu2+, while the flexible ELP module allows the formation of imine-based crosslinking networks. These double networks synergistically enhance the mechanical properties of the fibers, leading to a high tensile strength and toughness, overwhelming many reported recombinant spidroin fibers. Notably, the coordination of Cu2+ with serine residues could stabilize β-sheet structures in the fibers under acidic conditions, which makes the fibers robust against acid, thus enabling their successful utilization in gastric perforation suturing. This work highlights the customization of double networks at the molecular level to create tailored high-performance protein fibers for various application scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, 230026
| | - Zhenyue Yang
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China, 130024
| | - Bo Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
| | - Dawen Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
| | - Yawei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
| | - Fan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200241
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, 230026
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 100084
- Xiangfu Laboratory, Jiaxing, China, 314102
| | - Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China, 130022
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, 230026
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 100084
- Xiangfu Laboratory, Jiaxing, China, 314102
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5
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Li J, Yang GZ, Li X, Tan HL, Wong ZW, Jiang S, Yang D. Nanoassembly of spider silk protein mediated by intrinsically disordered regions. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132438. [PMID: 38761906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Spider silk is the self-assembling product of silk proteins each containing multiple repeating units. Each repeating unit is entirely intrinsically disordered or contains a small disordered domain. The role of the disordered domain/unit in conferring silk protein storage and self-assembly is not fully understood yet. Here, we used biophysical and biochemical techniques to investigate the self-assembly of a miniature version of a minor ampullate spidroin (denoted as miniMiSp). miniMiSp consists of two identical intrinsically disordered domains, one folded repetitive domain, and two folded terminal domains. Our data indicated that miniMiSp self-assembles into oligomers and further into liquid droplets. The oligomerization is attributed to the aggregation-prone property of both the disordered domains and the folded repetitive domain. Our results support the model of micellar structure for silk proteins at high protein concentrations. The disordered domain is indispensable for liquid droplet formation via liquid-liquid phase separation, and tyrosine residues located in the disordered domain make dominant contributions to stability of the liquid droplets. As the same tyrosine residues are also critical to fibrillation, the liquid droplets are likely an intermediate state between the solution state and the fiber state. Additionally, the terminal domains contribute to the pH- and salt-dependent self-assembly properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Gabriel Z Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Hao Lei Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Zhi Wei Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Shimin Jiang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Daiwen Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
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6
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Chen Z, Cheng C, Liu L, Lin B, Xiong Y, Zhu W, Zheng K, He B. Tyrosine Mutation in the Characteristic Motif of the Amorphous Region of Spidroin for Self-Assembly Capability Enhancement. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:22441-22449. [PMID: 38799334 PMCID: PMC11112579 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Spidroin, with robust mechanical performance and good biocompatibility, could fulfill broad applications in material science and biomedical fields. Development of miniature spidroin has made abundant fiber production economically feasible, but the mechanical properties of artificial silk still fall short of natural silk. The mechanism behind mechanical properties of spidroin usually focuses on β-microcrystalline regions; the effect of amorphous regions was barely studied. In this study, residue tyrosines (Y) were designed to replace asparagine (N)/glutamic acid (Q) in the characteristic motifs (GGX)n in amorphous regions for performance enhancement of spidroin; the mutants presented lower free energy and significantly exhibited stronger van der Waals and electrostatic interactions, which might result from π-π stacking interactions between the phenyl rings in the side chain of tyrosine. Additionally, the soluble expressions of wild-type spidroin and mutant spidroin were achieved when heterologously expressed in E. coli, with yields of 560 mg/L (2REP), 590 mg/L (2REPM), 240 mg/L (4REP), and 280 mg/L (4REPM). Significantly, secondary structure analysis confirmed that the mutant spidroin more avidly forms more β-sheets than the wild-type spidroin, and aggregation morphology suggested that mutant spidroin displayed better self-assembly capacity and was easier to form artificial spider silk fibers; in particular, self-assembled 4REPM nanofibrils had an average modulus of 11.2 ± 0.35 GPa, about 2 times higher than self-assembled B. mori silk nanofibrils and almost the same as that of native spider dragline silk fibers (10-15 GPa). Thus, we first demonstrated a new influence mechanism of the amorphous region's characteristic motif on the self-assembly and material properties of spidroin. Our study provides a reference for the design of high-performance material proteins and their heterologous preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Chen
- College
of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech
University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Li Liu
- Biomass
Molecular Engineering Center and Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Baoyang Lin
- College
of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Yongji Xiong
- College
of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Weiyu Zhu
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech
University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Ke Zheng
- Biomass
Molecular Engineering Center and Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Bingfang He
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech
University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
- College
of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing 211816, China
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7
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Laakko T, Korkealaakso A, Yildirir BF, Batys P, Liljeström V, Hokkanen A, Nonappa, Penttilä M, Laukkanen A, Miserez A, Södergård C, Mohammadi P. Accelerated Engineering of ELP-Based Materials through Hybrid Biomimetic-De Novo Predictive Molecular Design. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312299. [PMID: 38710202 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Efforts to engineer high-performance protein-based materials inspired by nature have mostly focused on altering naturally occurring sequences to confer the desired functionalities, whereas de novo design lags significantly behind and calls for unconventional innovative approaches. Here, using partially disordered elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) as initial building blocks this work shows that de novo engineering of protein materials can be accelerated through hybrid biomimetic design, which this work achieves by integrating computational modeling, deep neural network, and recombinant DNA technology. This generalizable approach involves incorporating a series of de novo-designed sequences with α-helical conformation and genetically encoding them into biologically inspired intrinsically disordered repeating motifs. The new ELP variants maintain structural conformation and showed tunable supramolecular self-assembly out of thermal equilibrium with phase behavior in vitro. This work illustrates the effective translation of the predicted molecular designs in structural and functional materials. The proposed methodology can be applied to a broad range of partially disordered biomacromolecules and potentially pave the way toward the discovery of novel structural proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Laakko
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
| | | | - Burcu Firatligil Yildirir
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, Tampere, FI-33720, Finland
| | - Piotr Batys
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, Krakow, PL-30239, Poland
| | - Ville Liljeström
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Aalto, FI-00076, Finland
| | - Ari Hokkanen
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
| | - Nonappa
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, Tampere, FI-33720, Finland
| | - Merja Penttilä
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
| | - Anssi Laukkanen
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
| | - Ali Miserez
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, 637553, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Caj Södergård
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
| | - Pezhman Mohammadi
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., VTT, FI-02044, Finland
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8
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Peng Z, Hu W, Yang X, Liu Q, Shi X, Tang X, Zhao P, Xia Q. Overexpression of bond-forming active protein for efficient production of silk with structural changes and properties enhanced in silkworm. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:129780. [PMID: 38290638 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Silkworm silk exhibits excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and has potential applications in the biomedical sector. This study focused on enhancing the mechanical properties of Bombyx mori silk by overexpressing three bond-forming active proteins (BFAPs): AFP, HSP, and CRP in the silk glands of silkworms. Rheological tests confirmed increased viscoelasticity in the liquid fibroin stock solution of transgenic silkworms, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) indicated that all three BFAPs participated in the interactions between fibroin molecular networks in transgenic silk. The mechanical property assay indicated that all three BFAPs improved the mechanical characteristics of transgenic silk, with AFP and HSP having the most significant effects. A synchrotron radiation Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy assay showed that all three BFAPs increased the β-sheet content of transgenic silk. Synchrotron radiation wide-angle X-ray diffraction assay showed that all three BFAPs changed the crystallinity, crystal size, and orientation factor of the silk. AFP and HSP significantly improved the mechanical attributes of transgenic silk through increased crystallinity, refined crystal size, and a slight decrease in orientation. This study opens new possibilities for modifying silk and other fiber materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangchuan Peng
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Institute of Advanced Pathology, Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 401329, China
| | - Wenbo Hu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Chongqing Municipality Clinical Research Center for Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404000, China
| | - Qingsong Liu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - XiaoTing Shi
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xin Tang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine & Health Science, Chongqing Academy of Chinese Materia Medica, Chongqing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing 400716, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing 400716, China.
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing 400716, China; Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing 400716, China.
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9
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Gao F, Yang X, Song W. Bioinspired Supramolecular Hydrogel from Design to Applications. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2300753. [PMID: 37599261 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Nature offers a wealth of opportunities to solve scientific and technological issues based on its unique structures and function. The dynamic non-covalent interaction is considered to be the main base of living functions of creatures including humans, animals, and plants. Supramolecular hydrogels formed by non-covalent bonding interactions has become a unique platform for constructing promising materials for medicine, energy, electronic, and biological substitute. In this review, the self-assemble principle of supramolecular hydrogels is summarized. Next, the stimulation of external environment that triggers the assembly or disassembly of supramolecular hydrogels are recapitulated, including temperature, mechanics, light, pH, ions, etc. The main applications of bioinspired supramolecular hydrogels in terms of bionic objects including humans, animals, and plants are also described. Although so many efforts are done for revealing the synergized mechanism of the function and non-covalent interactions on the supramolecular hydrogel, the complexity and variability between stimulus and non-covalent bonding in the supramolecular system still require impeccable theories. As an outlook, the bioinspired supramolecular hydrogel is just beginning to exhibit its great potential in human life, offering significant opportunities in drug delivery and screening, implantable devices and substitutions, tissue engineering, micro-fluidic devices, and biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Xuhao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Wenlong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
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10
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Song K, Wang Y, Dong W, Li Z, Xia Q, Zhu P, He H. Decoding silkworm spinning programmed by pH and metal ions. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:792-802. [PMID: 38245448 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Silk is one of the toughest fibrous materials known despite spun at ambient temperature and pressure with water as a solvent. It is a great challenge to reproduce high-performance artificial fibers comparable to natural silk by bionic for the incomplete understanding of silkworm spinning in vivo. Here, we found that amphipol and digitonin stabilized the structure of natural silk fibroin (NSF) by a large-scale screening in vitro, and then studied the close-to-native ultrastructure and hierarchical assembly of NSF in the silk gland lumen. Our study showed that NSF formed reversible flexible nanofibrils mainly composed of random coils with a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8 S and a diameter of about 4 nm, rather than a micellar or rod-like structure assembled by the aggregation of globular NSF molecules. Metal ions were required for NSF nanofibril formation. The successive pH decrease from posterior silk gland (PSG) to anterior silk gland (ASG) resulted in a gradual increase in NSF hydrophobicity, thus inducing the sol-gelation transition of NSF nanofibrils. NSF nanofibrils were randomly dispersed from PSG to ASG-1, and self-assembled into anisotropic herringbone patterns at ASG-2 near the spinneret ready for silkworm spinning. Our findings reveal the controlled self-assembly mechanism of the multi-scale hierarchical architecture of NSF from nanofibrils to herringbone patterns programmed by metal ions and pH gradient, which provides novel insights into the spinning mechanism of silk-secreting animals and bioinspired design of high-performance fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Song
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yejing Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wenjie Dong
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Ping Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Huawei He
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, Chongqing 400715, China.
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11
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Jarosik A, Nádasi H, Schwidder M, Manabe A, Bremer M, Klasen-Memmer M, Eremin A. Fluid fibers in true 3D ferroelectric liquids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313629121. [PMID: 38513103 PMCID: PMC10990086 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313629121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate an exceptional ability of a high-polarization 3D ferroelectric liquid to form freely suspended fluid fibers at room temperature. Unlike fluid threads in modulated smectics and columnar phases, where translational order is a prerequisite for forming liquid fibers, recently discovered ferroelectric nematic forms fibers with solely orientational molecular order. Additional stabilization mechanisms based on the polar nature of the mesophase are required for this. We propose a model for such a mechanism and show that these fibers demonstrate an exceptional nonlinear optical response and exhibit electric field-driven instabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Jarosik
- Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute of Physics, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg39106, Germany
| | - Hajnalka Nádasi
- Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute of Physics, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg39106, Germany
| | - Michael Schwidder
- Department Industrial Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg39106, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Alexey Eremin
- Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute of Physics, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg39106, Germany
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12
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Branković M, Zivic F, Grujovic N, Stojadinovic I, Milenkovic S, Kotorcevic N. Review of Spider Silk Applications in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:169. [PMID: 38534854 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9030169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This review will present the latest research related to the production and application of spider silk and silk-based materials in reconstructive and regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, with a focus on musculoskeletal tissues, and including skin regeneration and tissue repair of bone and cartilage, ligaments, muscle tissue, peripheral nerves, and artificial blood vessels. Natural spider silk synthesis is reviewed, and the further recombinant production of spider silk proteins. Research insights into possible spider silk structures, like fibers (1D), coatings (2D), and 3D constructs, including porous structures, hydrogels, and organ-on-chip designs, have been reviewed considering a design of bioactive materials for smart medical implants and drug delivery systems. Silk is one of the toughest natural materials, with high strain at failure and mechanical strength. Novel biomaterials with silk fibroin can mimic the tissue structure and promote regeneration and new tissue growth. Silk proteins are important in designing tissue-on-chip or organ-on-chip technologies and micro devices for the precise engineering of artificial tissues and organs, disease modeling, and the further selection of adequate medical treatments. Recent research indicates that silk (films, hydrogels, capsules, or liposomes coated with silk proteins) has the potential to provide controlled drug release at the target destination. However, even with clear advantages, there are still challenges that need further research, including clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Branković
- Institute for Information Technologies, University of Kragujevac, Jovana Cvijića bb, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Knezevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Fatima Zivic
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Knezevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nenad Grujovic
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Knezevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Ivan Stojadinovic
- Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Clinical Center, Zmaj Jovina 30, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Strahinja Milenkovic
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Knezevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nikola Kotorcevic
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Knezevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
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13
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Wu D, Koscic A, Schneider S, Dubini RCA, Rodriguez Camargo DC, Schneider S, Rovó P. Unveiling the Dynamic Self-Assembly of a Recombinant Dragline-Silk-Mimicking Protein. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:1759-1774. [PMID: 38343096 PMCID: PMC10934265 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite the considerable interest in the recombinant production of synthetic spider silk fibers that possess mechanical properties similar to those of native spider silks, such as the cost-effectiveness, tunability, and scalability realization, is still lacking. To address this long-standing challenge, we have constructed an artificial spider silk gene using Golden Gate assembly for the recombinant bacterial production of dragline-mimicking silk, incorporating all the essential components: the N-terminal domain, a 33-residue-long major-ampullate-spidroin-inspired segment repeated 16 times, and the C-terminal domain (N16C). This designed silk-like protein was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and cast into films from formic acid. We produced uniformly 13C-15N-labeled N16C films and employed solid-state magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for characterization. Thus, we could demonstrate that our bioengineered silk-like protein self-assembles into a film where, when hydrated, the solvent-exposed layer of the rigid, β-nanocrystalline polyalanine core undergoes a transition to an α-helical structure, gaining mobility to the extent that it fully dissolves in water and transforms into a highly dynamic random coil. This hydration-induced behavior induces chain dynamics in the glycine-rich amorphous soft segments on the microsecond time scale, contributing to the elasticity of the solid material. Our findings not only reveal the presence of structurally and dynamically distinct segments within the film's superstructure but also highlight the complexity of the self-organization responsible for the exceptional mechanical properties observed in proteins that mimic dragline silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqing Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Anamaria Koscic
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Sonja Schneider
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Romeo C. A. Dubini
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center
for Nanoscience (CeNS), Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Diana C. Rodriguez Camargo
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Sabine Schneider
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Petra Rovó
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute
of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
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14
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Mi J, Li X, Niu S, Zhou X, Lu Y, Yang Y, Sun Y, Meng Q. High-strength and ultra-tough supramolecular polyamide spider silk fibers assembled via specific covalent and reversible hydrogen bonds. Acta Biomater 2024; 176:190-200. [PMID: 38199426 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Achieving ultra-high tensile strength and exceptional toughness is a longstanding goal for structural materials. However, previous attempts using covalent and non-covalent bonds have failed, leading to the belief that these two properties are mutually exclusive. Consequently, commercial fibers have been forced to compromise between tensile strength and toughness, as seen in the differences between nylon and Kevlar. To address this challenge, we drew inspiration from the disparate tensile strength and toughness of nylon and Kevlar, both of which are polyamide fibers, and developed an innovative approach that combines specific intermolecular disulfide bonds and reversible hydrogen bonds to create ultra-strong and ultra-tough polyamide spider silk fibers. Our resulting Supramolecular polyamide spider silk, which has a maximum molecular weight of 1084 kDa, exhibits high tensile strength (1180 MPa) and extraordinary toughness (433 MJ/m3), surpassing Kevlar's toughness 8-fold. This breakthrough presents a new opportunity for the sustainable development of spider silk as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic commercial fibers, as spider silk is composed of amino acids. Future research could explore the use of these techniques and fundamental knowledge to develop other super materials in various mechanical fields, with the potential to improve people's lives in many ways. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: • By emulating synthetic commercial fibers such as nylon and polyethylene, we have successfully produced supramolecular-weight polyamide spider silk fibers with a molecular weight of 1084 kDa through a unique covalent bond-mediated linear polymerization reaction of spider silk protein molecules. This greatly surpasses the previous record of a maximum molecular weight of 556 kDa. • We obtained supramolecular polyamide spider silk fibers with both high-tensile strength and toughness. The stress at break is 1180 MPa, and the toughness is 8 times that of kevlar, reaching 433 MJ/m3. • Our results challenge the notion that it is impossible to manufacture fibers with both ultra-high tensile strength and ultra-toughness, and provide theoretical guidance for developing environmentally friendly and sustainable structural materials that meet industrial needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junpeng Mi
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,14 Science Drive 4 117543, Singapore
| | - Shiwei Niu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Science and Technology Achievement Incubation Center, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xingping Zhou
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China.
| | - Yihang Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yuchen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yuan Sun
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Qing Meng
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China; College of Life and Geographic Sciences, Kashi University, Xin Jiang 844006, China.
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15
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Máthé MT, Perera K, Buka Á, Salamon P, Jákli A. Fluid Ferroelectric Filaments. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305950. [PMID: 38126584 PMCID: PMC10916631 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Freestanding slender fluid filaments of room-temperature ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals are described. They are stabilized either by internal electric fields of bound charges formed due to polarization splay or by external voltage applied between suspending wires. The phenomenon is similar to those observed in dielectric fluids, such as deionized water, except that in ferroelectric nematic materials the voltages required are three orders of magnitudes smaller and the aspect ratio is much higher. The observed ferroelectric fluid threads are not only unique and novel but also offer measurements of basic physical quantities, such as the ferroelectric polarization and viscosity. Ferroelectric nematic fluid threads may have practical applications in nano-fluidic micron-size logic devices, switches, and relays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcell T. Máthé
- Institute for Solid State Physics and OpticsWigner Research Centre for PhysicsP.O. Box 49BudapestH‐1525Hungary
- Eötvös Loránd UniversityP.O. Box 32BudapestH‐1518Hungary
| | - Kelum Perera
- Department of PhysicsKent State UniversityKentOH44242USA
| | - Ágnes Buka
- Institute for Solid State Physics and OpticsWigner Research Centre for PhysicsP.O. Box 49BudapestH‐1525Hungary
| | - Péter Salamon
- Institute for Solid State Physics and OpticsWigner Research Centre for PhysicsP.O. Box 49BudapestH‐1525Hungary
| | - Antal Jákli
- Department of PhysicsKent State UniversityKentOH44242USA
- Materials Sciences Graduate Program and Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal InstituteKent State UniversityKentOH44242USA
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16
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Peng X, Liu Z, Gao J, Zhang Y, Wang H, Li C, Lv X, Gao Y, Deng H, Zhao B, Gao T, Li H. Influence of Spider Silk Protein Structure on Mechanical and Biological Properties for Energetic Material Detection. Molecules 2024; 29:1025. [PMID: 38474537 PMCID: PMC10934110 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Spider silk protein, renowned for its excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability, chemical stability, and low immune and inflammatory response activation, consists of a core domain with a repeat sequence and non-repeating sequences at the N-terminal and C-terminal. In this review, we focus on the relationship between the silk structure and its mechanical properties, exploring the potential applications of spider silk materials in the detection of energetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinying Peng
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Junhong Gao
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Cunzhi Li
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Lv
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Yongchao Gao
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Hui Deng
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Ting Gao
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
| | - Huan Li
- Toxicology Research Center, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China (Z.L.)
- Xi’an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, NO. 12 Zhangbadong Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710065, China
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17
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Kato T, Uchida J, Ishii Y, Watanabe G. Aquatic Functional Liquid Crystals: Design, Functionalization, and Molecular Simulation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306529. [PMID: 38126650 PMCID: PMC10885670 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic functional liquid crystals, which are ordered molecular assemblies that work in water environment, are described in this review. Aquatic functional liquid crystals are liquid-crystalline (LC) materials interacting water molecules or aquatic environment. They include aquatic lyotropic liquid crystals and LC based materials that have aquatic interfaces, for example, nanoporous water treatment membranes that are solids preserving LC order. They can remove ions and viruses with nano- and subnano-porous structures. Columnar, smectic, bicontinuous LC structures are used for fabrication of these 1D, 2D, 3D materials. Design and functionalization of aquatic LC sensors based on aqueous/LC interfaces are also described. The ordering transitions of liquid crystals induced by molecular recognition at the aqueous interfaces provide distinct optical responses. Molecular orientation and dynamic behavior of these aquatic functional LC materials are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The molecular interactions of LC materials and water are key of these investigations. New insights into aquatic functional LC materials contribute to the fields of environment, healthcare, and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kato
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University, Nagano, 380-8553, Japan
| | - Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Ishii
- Department of Data Science, School of Frontier Engineering, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Go Watanabe
- Department of Data Science, School of Frontier Engineering, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, 252-0373, Japan
- Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC), Ebina, 243-0435, Japan
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18
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Chen J, Tsuchida A, Malay AD, Tsuchiya K, Masunaga H, Tsuji Y, Kuzumoto M, Urayama K, Shintaku H, Numata K. Replicating shear-mediated self-assembly of spider silk through microfluidics. Nat Commun 2024; 15:527. [PMID: 38225234 PMCID: PMC10789810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of artificial spider silk with properties similar to native silk has been a challenging task in materials science. In this study, we use a microfluidic device to create continuous fibers based on recombinant MaSp2 spidroin. The strategy incorporates ion-induced liquid-liquid phase separation, pH-driven fibrillation, and shear-dependent induction of β-sheet formation. We find that a threshold shear stress of approximately 72 Pa is required for fiber formation, and that β-sheet formation is dependent on the presence of polyalanine blocks in the repetitive sequence. The MaSp2 fiber formed has a β-sheet content (29.2%) comparable to that of native dragline with a shear stress requirement of 111 Pa. Interestingly, the polyalanine blocks have limited influence on the occurrence of liquid-liquid phase separation and hierarchical structure. These results offer insights into the shear-induced crystallization and sequence-structure relationship of spider silk and have significant implications for the rational design of artificially spun fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Chen
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Arata Tsuchida
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Ali D Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kousuke Tsuchiya
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Masunaga
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - Yui Tsuji
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Mako Kuzumoto
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Kenji Urayama
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Shintaku
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan.
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-0017, Japan.
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19
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Wilczek G, Surmiak-Stalmach K, Morenc M, Niemiec-Cyganek A, Rost-Roszkowska M, Karcz J, Skowronek M. The effect of ingested copper on the structural and cytotoxic properties of Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spider silk. ZOOLOGY 2024; 162:126143. [PMID: 38218003 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2024.126143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Spiders, assigned to macroconcentrators of heavy metals, are particularly threatened by the toxic effects of these chemicals. Until now, it has not been specified to what extent metals alter the processes proceeding in silk glands and if such changes could consequently influence the chemical and structural properties of the spun web threads. In the present study selected biological properties of Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) silk yarn after nutritional exposure to copper at sublethal doses (0.234 mM CuSO4) were assessed. It was determined both changes in ultrastructure of ampullate glands and hunting web's architecture as well the cytotoxic effect in model cells (fibroblasts: line ATCC® CCL-1 NCTC clone 929), that were in contact with the analyzed biomaterial. The exposure of spiders to copper caused the occurrence of apoptotic cells in the ampullate glands as well as a significant reduction in the diameter of single fibers in double and multiple connection complexes as compared with control. At both 24 and 72 h of incubation, intensification of apoptotic and necrotic processes was observed in the fibroblast cultures that were remaining in indirect contact with the webs produced by copper-contaminated individuals. In the case of fibroblasts in direct contact with silk from the copper group, a clear cytotoxic effect resulting in an increased frequency of necrosis was observed after 72 h of incubation. The results indicated that copper may change the biological properties of spider silk and compromise its biomaterial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Wilczek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Kinga Surmiak-Stalmach
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Morenc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; Prof. Zbigniew Religa Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development, Wolności 345a, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | | | - Magdalena Rost-Roszkowska
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Jagna Karcz
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Skowronek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
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20
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Hofmaier M, Heger JE, Lentz S, Schwarz S, Müller-Buschbaum P, Scheibel T, Fery A, Müller M. Influence of the Sequence Motive Repeating Number on Protein Folding in Spider Silk Protein Films. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:5707-5721. [PMID: 37934893 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Like multiblock copolymers, spider silk proteins are built of repetitive sequence motives. One prominent repetitive motif is based on the consensus sequence of spidroin 4 of the spider Araneus diadematus ADF4. The number x of the repeating sequence motives (C) determines the molecular weight of the recombinant ADF4-based, engineered spider silk protein denoted as eADF4(Cx). eADF4(Cx) can be used as a model for intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) and to elucidate their folding. Herein, the influence of the variation of the sequence motive repeating number x (x = 1, 2, 4, 8, 16) on the protein folding within eADF4(Cx) films was investigated. eADF4(Cx) films were cast from 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFIP) solutions onto planar silicon model substrates, revealing mainly helical or random coil structure. Upon treatment with methanol vapor (ptm), the formation of crystalline β-sheets was triggered. Dichroic Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, circular dichroism, spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), and electrokinetic and contact angle measurements were used to get information concerning the secondary structure and folding kinetics, orientation of β-sheets, the ratio of parallel/antiparallel β-sheets, domain sizes and distributions, surface topography, surface potential, hydrophobicity and the film integrity under water. Significant differences in the final β-sheet content, the share of antiparallel β-sheet structures, film integrity, surface potential, and isoelectric points between eADF4(Cx) with x = 1, 2 and eADF4(Cx) with x = 4, 8, 16 gave new insights in the molecular weight-dependent structure formation and film properties of IDP systems. GISAXS and kinetic measurements confirmed a relation between β-sheet crystal growth rate and final β-sheet crystal size. Further, competing effects of reduced diffusibility hindering accelerated crystal growth and enhanced backfolding promoting accelerated crystal growth with increasing molecular weight were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Hofmaier
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), Dresden 01069, Germany
- Chair of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden (TUD), Dresden 01069, Germany
| | - Julian E Heger
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Sarah Lentz
- Functional Polymer Interfaces Group, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Simona Schwarz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), Dresden 01069, Germany
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Chair of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Colloids and Interfaces (BZKG), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
- Bayreuth Center for Molecular Bioscience (BZMB), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
- Bayreuth Center for Material Science and Engineering (BayMAT), Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
| | - Andreas Fery
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), Dresden 01069, Germany
- Chair of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden (TUD), Dresden 01069, Germany
| | - Martin Müller
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), Dresden 01069, Germany
- Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Technical University of Dresden (TUD), Dresden 01062, Germany
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21
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Ilango PR, Savariraj AD, Huang H, Li L, Hu G, Wang H, Hou X, Kim BC, Ramakrishna S, Peng S. Electrospun Flexible Nanofibres for Batteries: Design and Application. ELECTROCHEM ENERGY R 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s41918-022-00148-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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22
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Thagun C, Suzuki T, Kodama Y, Numata K. C-Terminal Domain Controls Protein Quality and Secretion of Spider Silk in Tobacco Cells. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300011. [PMID: 37409415 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable mechanical strength and extensibility of spider dragline silk spidroins are attributed to the major ampullate silk proteins (MaSp). Although fragmented MaSp molecules have been extensively produced in various heterologous expression platforms for biotechnological applications, complete MaSp molecules are required to achieve instinctive spinning of spidroin fibers from aqueous solutions. Here, a plant cell-based expression platform for extracellular production of the entire MaSp2 protein is developed, which exhibits remarkable self-assembly properties to form spider silk nanofibrils. The engineered transgenic Bright-yellow 2 (BY-2) cell lines overexpressing recombinant secretory MaSp2 proteins yield 0.6-1.3 µg L-1 at 22 days post-inoculation, which is four times higher than those of cytosolic expressions. However, only 10-15% of these secretory MaSp2 proteins are discharged into the culture media. Surprisingly, expression of functional domain-truncated MaSp2 proteins lacking the C-terminal domain in transgenic BY-2 cells increases recombinant protein secretion incredibly, from 0.9 to 2.8 mg L-1 per day within 7 days. These findings demonstrate significant improvement in the extracellular production of recombinant biopolymers such as spider silk spidroins using plant cells. In addition, the results reveal the regulatory roles of the C-terminal domain of MaSp2 proteins in controlling their protein quality and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonprakun Thagun
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto-Daigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Suzuki
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kodama
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto-Daigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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23
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Herrera-Rodríguez AM, Dasanna AK, Daday C, Cruz-Chú ER, Aponte-Santamaría C, Schwarz US, Gräter F. The role of flow in the self-assembly of dragline spider silk proteins. Biophys J 2023; 122:4241-4253. [PMID: 37803828 PMCID: PMC10645567 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrodynamic flow in the spider duct induces conformational changes in dragline spider silk proteins (spidroins) and drives their assembly, but the underlying physical mechanisms are still elusive. Here we address this challenging multiscale problem with a complementary strategy of atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with uniform flow. The conformational changes at the molecular level were analyzed for single-tethered spider silk peptides. Uniform flow leads to coiled-to-stretch transitions and pushes alanine residues into β sheet and poly-proline II conformations. Coarse-grained simulations of the assembly process of multiple semi-flexible block copolymers using multi-particle collision dynamics reveal that the spidroins aggregate faster but into low-order assemblies when they are less extended. At medium-to-large peptide extensions (50%-80%), assembly slows down and becomes reversible with frequent association and dissociation events, whereas spidroin alignment increases and alanine repeats form ordered regions. Our work highlights the role of flow in guiding silk self-assembly into tough fibers by enhancing alignment and kinetic reversibility, a mechanism likely relevant also for other proteins whose function depends on hydrodynamic flow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anil Kumar Dasanna
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Csaba Daday
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eduardo R Cruz-Chú
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Ulrich S Schwarz
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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24
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Rat C, Heindl C, Neuweiler H. Domain swap facilitates structural transitions of spider silk protein C-terminal domains. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4783. [PMID: 37712205 PMCID: PMC10578117 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Domain swap is a mechanism of protein dimerization where the two interacting domains exchange parts of their structure. Web spiders make use of the process in the connection of C-terminal domains (CTDs) of spidroins, the soluble protein building blocks that form tough silk fibers. Besides providing connectivity and solubility, spidroin CTDs are responsible for inducing structural transitions during passage through an acidified assembly zone within spinning ducts. The underlying molecular mechanisms are elusive. Here, we studied the folding of five homologous spidroin CTDs from different spider species or glands. Four of these are domain-swapped dimers formed by five-helix bundles from spidroins of major and minor ampullate glands. The fifth is a dimer that lacks domain swap, formed by four-helix bundles from a spidroin of a flagelliform gland. Spidroins from this gland do not undergo structural transitions whereas the others do. We found a three-state mechanism of folding and dimerization that was conserved across homologues. In chemical denaturation experiments the native CTD dimer unfolded to a dimeric, partially structured intermediate, followed by full unfolding to denatured monomers. The energetics of the individual folding steps varied between homologues. Contrary to the common belief that domain swap stabilizes protein assemblies, the non-swapped homologue was most stable and folded four orders of magnitude faster than a swapped variant. Domain swap of spidroin CTDs induces an entropic penalty to the folding of peripheral helices, thus unfastening them for acid-induced unfolding within a spinning duct, which primes them for refolding into alternative structures during silk formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Rat
- Department of Biotechnology & BiophysicsJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Cedric Heindl
- Department of Biotechnology & BiophysicsJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Hannes Neuweiler
- Department of Biotechnology & BiophysicsJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
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25
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Qi X, Wang Y, Yu H, Liu R, Leppert A, Zheng Z, Zhong X, Jin Z, Wang H, Li X, Wang X, Landreh M, A Morozova-Roche L, Johansson J, Xiong S, Iashchishyn I, Chen G. Spider Silk Protein Forms Amyloid-Like Nanofibrils through a Non-Nucleation-Dependent Polymerization Mechanism. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2304031. [PMID: 37455347 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils-nanoscale fibrillar aggregates with high levels of order-are pathogenic in some today incurable human diseases; however, there are also many physiologically functioning amyloids in nature. The process of amyloid formation is typically nucleation-elongation-dependent, as exemplified by the pathogenic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) that is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Spider silk, one of the toughest biomaterials, shares characteristics with amyloid. In this study, it is shown that forming amyloid-like nanofibrils is an inherent property preserved by various spider silk proteins (spidroins). Both spidroins and Aβ capped by spidroin N- and C-terminal domains, can assemble into macroscopic spider silk-like fibers that consist of straight nanofibrils parallel to the fiber axis as observed in native spider silk. While Aβ forms amyloid nanofibrils through a nucleation-dependent pathway and exhibits strong cytotoxicity and seeding effects, spidroins spontaneously and rapidly form amyloid-like nanofibrils via a non-nucleation-dependent polymerization pathway that involves lateral packing of fibrils. Spidroin nanofibrils share amyloid-like properties but lack strong cytotoxicity and the ability to self-seed or cross-seed human amyloidogenic peptides. These results suggest that spidroins´ unique primary structures have evolved to allow functional properties of amyloid, and at the same time direct their fibrillization pathways to avoid formation of cytotoxic intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingmei Qi
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Hairui Yu
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Ruifang Liu
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Axel Leppert
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17165, Sweden
| | - Zihan Zheng
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
- Department of Pharmacology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Xueying Zhong
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Huddinge, 14152, Sweden
| | - Zhen Jin
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
- Department of Pharmacology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Han Wang
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xiuzhe Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17165, Sweden
| | | | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
| | - Sidong Xiong
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Igor Iashchishyn
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden
| | - Gefei Chen
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
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26
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Chen J. Current advances in anisotropic structures for enhanced osteogenesis. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 231:113566. [PMID: 37797464 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Bone defects are a challenge to healthcare systems, as the aging population experiences an increase in bone defects. Despite the development of biomaterials for bone fillers and scaffolds, there is still an unmet need for a bone-mimetic material. Cortical bone is highly anisotropic and displays a biological liquid crystalline (LC) arrangement, giving it exceptional mechanical properties and a distinctive microenvironment. However, the biofunctions, cell-tissue interactions, and molecular mechanisms of cortical bone anisotropic structure are not well understood. Incorporating anisotropic structures in bone-facilitated scaffolds has been recognised as essential for better outcomes. Various approaches have been used to create anisotropic micro/nanostructures, but biomimetic bone anisotropic structures are still in the early stages of development. Most scaffolds lack features at the nanoscale, and there is no comprehensive evaluation of molecular mechanisms or characterisation of calcium secretion. This manuscript provides a review of the latest development of anisotropic designs for osteogenesis and discusses current findings on cell-anisotropic structure interactions. It also emphasises the need for further research. Filling knowledge gaps will enable the fabrication of scaffolds for improved and more controllable bone regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jishizhan Chen
- UCL Mechanical Engineering, University College London, WC1E 7JE, UK.
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27
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Ceccarini M, Chiesa I, Ripanti F, Cardinali MA, Micalizzi S, Scattini G, De Maria C, Paciaroni A, Petrillo C, Comez L, Bertelli M, Sassi P, Pascucci L, Beccari T, Valentini L. Electrospun Nanofibrous UV Filters with Bidirectional Actuation Properties Based on Salmon Sperm DNA/Silk Fibroin for Biomedical Applications. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:38233-38242. [PMID: 37867705 PMCID: PMC10586176 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we dissolved Bombyx mori degummed silk [i.e., silk fibroin (SF)] and salmon sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in water and used a bioinspired spinning process to obtain an electrospun nanofibrous SF-based patch (ESF). We investigated the bidirectional macroscale actuation behavior of ESF in response to water vapor and its UV-blocking properties as well as those of ESF/DNA films. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results suggest that the formation of β-sheet-rich structures promotes the actuation effect. ESF/DNA film with high-ordered and β-sheet-rich structures exhibits higher electrical conductivity and is water-insoluble. Given the intrinsic ability of both SF and DNA to absorb UV radiation, we performed biological experiments on the viability of keratinocyte HaCaT cells after exposure to solar spectrum components. Our findings indicate that the ESF/DNA patch is photoprotective and can increase the cellular viability of keratinocytes after UV exposure. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ESF/DNA patches treated with water vapor can serve as suitable scaffolds for tissue engineering and can improve tissue regeneration when cellularized with HaCaT cells. The 3D shape morphing capability of these patches, along with their potential as UV filters, could offer significant practical advantages in tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene Chiesa
- Department
of Ingegneria dell’Informazione and Research Center E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy
| | - Francesca Ripanti
- Dipartimento
di Fisica e Geologia, Università
degli Studi di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Martina Alunni Cardinali
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Simone Micalizzi
- Department
of Ingegneria dell’Informazione and Research Center E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy
| | - Gabriele Scattini
- Dipartimento
di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo, 4, Perugia 06126, Italy
| | - Carmelo De Maria
- Department
of Ingegneria dell’Informazione and Research Center E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy
| | - Alessandro Paciaroni
- Dipartimento
di Fisica e Geologia, Università
degli Studi di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Caterina Petrillo
- Dipartimento
di Fisica e Geologia, Università
degli Studi di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Lucia Comez
- Istituto
Officina dei Materiali-IOM, National Research Council-CNR, Via Alessandro Pascoli, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | | | - Paola Sassi
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Luisa Pascucci
- Dipartimento
di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo, 4, Perugia 06126, Italy
| | - Tommaso Beccari
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Science, University of
Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Luca Valentini
- Civil
and Environmental Engineering Department and INSTM Research Unit, University of Perugia, Strada di Pentima 8, Terni 05100, Italy
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28
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Yang H, Yang J, Wang Z, Zhibin W, Tian J, Chen J, Liu S, Li J, Liang Q, Lan J. Transcriptome Changes Reveal the Toxic Mechanism of Cadmium and Lead Combined Exposure on Silk Production and Web-Weaving Behavior of Spider A. ventricosus. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14917-14928. [PMID: 37751292 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The combined exposure of multiple metals imposes a substantial burden on the ecophysiological functions in organisms; however, the precise mechanism(s) remains largely unknown. Here, adult female A. ventricosus were exposed to single and combined exposure to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) through the food chain. The aim was to explore the combined toxicity of these metals on silk production and web-weaving behavior at physiological, cellular morphological, and transcriptomic levels. The Cd and Pb combined exposure significantly inhibited the ability of silk production and web-weaving, including reduced silk fiber weight and diameter of single strands, lowered weaving position, induced nocturnal weaving, and increased instances of no-web, and showed a dose-response relationship on the Cd and Pb bioaccumulation. Concurrently, severe oxidative stress and degenerative changes in cells were observed. In addition, the combined pollution of Cd and Pb demonstrated synergistic effects, influenced by variations in concentration, on the enrichment of metals, inhibition of silk weight, oxidative damage, and cellular degeneration. At the transcriptome level, the upregulated ampullate spidroin genes and downregulated amino acid anabolic genes, upregulated Far genes and downregulated cytoskeleton-related TUBA genes, and overexpressed AChE and Glu genes may tend to present promising potential as biomarkers for silk protein synthesis, cellular degeneration, and neurotransmitter induction. This study offers an enormous capability for a comprehensive understanding of the eco-toxicological effects and mechanisms of multiheavy metals pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Yang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410006 Hunan, China
| | - Wu Zhibin
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jianxiang Tian
- College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jinkun Chen
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Shize Liu
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jiajia Li
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Qi Liang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jiao Lan
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
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29
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Madappura AP, Madduri S. A comprehensive review of silk-fibroin hydrogels for cell and drug delivery applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4868-4886. [PMID: 37860231 PMCID: PMC10583100 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogel scaffolds hold great promise for developing novel treatment strategies in the field of regenerative medicine. Within this context, silk fibroin (SF) has proven to be a versatile material for a wide range of tissue engineering applications owing to its structural and functional properties. In the present review, we report on the design and fabrication of different forms of SF-based scaffolds for tissue regeneration applications, particularly for skin, bone, and neural tissues. In particular, SF hydrogels have emerged as delivery systems for a wide range of bio-actives. Given the growing interest in the field, this review has a primary focus on the fabrication, characterization, and properties of SF hydrogels. We also discuss their potential for the delivery of drugs, stem cells, genes, peptides, and growth factors, including future directions in the field of SF hydrogel scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alakananda Parassini Madappura
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 300044 Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Srinivas Madduri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Surgery, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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30
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Välisalmi T, Bettahar H, Zhou Q, Linder MB. Pulling and analyzing silk fibers from aqueous solution using a robotic device. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 250:126161. [PMID: 37549763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Spiders, silkworms, and many other animals can spin silk with exceptional properties. However, artificially spun fibers often fall short of their natural counterparts partly due sub-optimal production methods. A variety of methods, such as wet-, dry-, and biomimetic spinning have been used. The methods are based on extrusion, whereas natural spinning also involves pulling. Another shortcoming is that there is a lack feedback control during extension. Here we demonstrate a robotic fiber pulling device that enables controlled pulling of silk fibers and in situ measurement of extensional forces during the pulling and tensile testing of the pulled fibers. The pulling device was used to study two types of silk-one recombinant spider silk (a structural variant of ADF3) and one regenerated silk fibroin. Also, dextran-a branched polysaccharide-was used as a reference material for the procedure due to its straightforward preparation and storage. No post-treatments were applied. The pulled regenerated silk fibroin fibers achieved high tensile strength in comparison to similar extrusion-based methods. The mechanical properties of the recombinant spider silk fibers seemed to be affected by the liquid-liquid phase separation of the silk proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teemu Välisalmi
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland; Centre of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Houari Bettahar
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Quan Zhou
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
| | - Markus B Linder
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland; Centre of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
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31
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Mi J, Zhou X, Sun R, Han J. Disabling spidroin N-terminal homologs' reverse reaction unveils why its intermolecular disulfide bonds have not evolved for 380 million years. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 249:125974. [PMID: 37499718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Spiders, ubiquitous predators known for their powerful silks, rely on spidroins that self-assemble from high-concentration solutions stored in silk glands, which are mediated by the NT and CT domains. CT homodimers containing intermolecular disulfide bonds enhance silk performance, promoting spider survival and reproduction. However, no NT capable of forming such disulfide bonds has been identified. Our study reveals that NT homodimers with sulfur substitution can form under alkaline conditions, shedding light on why spiders have not evolved intermolecular disulfide bonds in the NT module during their 380 million years of evolution. This discovery significantly advances our comprehension of spider evolution and silk spinning mechanisms, while also providing novel insights into protein storage, assembly, as well as the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junpeng Mi
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xingping Zhou
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Rou Sun
- College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jiaojiao Han
- Department of Clinical Hematology and osology, Shanghai center for clinical laboratory, Shanghai 200126, China.
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Hassan N, Krieg T, Zinser M, Schröder K, Kröger N. An Overview of Scaffolds and Biomaterials for Skin Expansion and Soft Tissue Regeneration: Insights on Zinc and Magnesium as New Potential Key Elements. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3854. [PMID: 37835903 PMCID: PMC10575381 DOI: 10.3390/polym15193854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The utilization of materials in medical implants, serving as substitutes for non-functional biological structures, supporting damaged tissues, or reinforcing active organs, holds significant importance in modern healthcare, positively impacting the quality of life for millions of individuals worldwide. However, certain implants may only be required temporarily to aid in the healing process of diseased or injured tissues and tissue expansion. Biodegradable metals, including zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), iron, and others, present a new paradigm in the realm of implant materials. Ongoing research focuses on developing optimized materials that meet medical standards, encompassing controllable corrosion rates, sustained mechanical stability, and favorable biocompatibility. Achieving these objectives involves refining alloy compositions and tailoring processing techniques to carefully control microstructures and mechanical properties. Among the materials under investigation, Mg- and Zn-based biodegradable materials and their alloys demonstrate the ability to provide necessary support during tissue regeneration while gradually degrading over time. Furthermore, as essential elements in the human body, Mg and Zn offer additional benefits, including promoting wound healing, facilitating cell growth, and participating in gene generation while interacting with various vital biological functions. This review provides an overview of the physiological function and significance for human health of Mg and Zn and their usage as implants in tissue regeneration using tissue scaffolds. The scaffold qualities, such as biodegradation, mechanical characteristics, and biocompatibility, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nourhan Hassan
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Thomas Krieg
- Translational Matrix Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany
| | - Max Zinser
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Department for Oral and Craniomaxillofacial and Plastic Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Kai Schröder
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Nadja Kröger
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
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Li Y, Meng Q, Chen S, Ling P, Kuss MA, Duan B, Wu S. Advances, challenges, and prospects for surgical suture materials. Acta Biomater 2023; 168:78-112. [PMID: 37516417 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
As one of the long-established and necessary medical devices, surgical sutures play an essentially important role in the closing and healing of damaged tissues and organs postoperatively. The recent advances in multiple disciplines, like materials science, engineering technology, and biomedicine, have facilitated the generation of various innovative surgical sutures with humanization and multi-functionalization. For instance, the application of numerous absorbable materials is assuredly a marvelous progression in terms of surgical sutures. Moreover, some fantastic results from recent laboratory research cannot be ignored either, ranging from the fiber generation to the suture structure, as well as the suture modification, functionalization, and even intellectualization. In this review, the suture materials, including natural or synthetic polymers, absorbable or non-absorbable polymers, and metal materials, were first introduced, and then their advantages and disadvantages were summarized. Then we introduced and discussed various fiber fabrication strategies for the production of surgical sutures. Noticeably, advanced nanofiber generation strategies were highlighted. This review further summarized a wide and diverse variety of suture structures and further discussed their different features. After that, we covered the advanced design and development of surgical sutures with multiple functionalizations, which mainly included surface coating technologies and direct drug-loading technologies. Meanwhile, the review highlighted some smart and intelligent sutures that can monitor the wound status in a real-time manner and provide on-demand therapies accordingly. Furthermore, some representative commercial sutures were also introduced and summarized. At the end of this review, we discussed the challenges and future prospects in the field of surgical sutures in depth. This review aims to provide a meaningful reference and guidance for the future design and fabrication of innovative surgical sutures. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This review article introduces the recent advances of surgical sutures, including material selection, fiber morphology, suture structure and construction, as well as suture modification, functionalization, and even intellectualization. Importantly, some innovative strategies for the construction of multifunctional sutures with predetermined biological properties are highlighted. Moreover, some important commercial suture products are systematically summarized and compared. This review also discusses the challenges and future prospects of advanced sutures in a deep manner. In all, this review is expected to arouse great interest from a broad group of readers in the fields of multifunctional biomaterials and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Li
- College of Textiles & Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Qi Meng
- College of Textiles & Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Shaojuan Chen
- College of Textiles & Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Peixue Ling
- Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Mitchell A Kuss
- Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program and Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Bin Duan
- Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program and Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Shaohua Wu
- College of Textiles & Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China; Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan, 250101, China.
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Perera D, Li L, Walsh C, Silliman J, Xiong Y, Wang Q, Schniepp HC. Natural spider silk nanofibrils produced by assembling molecules or disassembling fibers. Acta Biomater 2023; 168:323-332. [PMID: 37414111 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk is biocompatible, biodegradable, and rivals some of the best synthetic materials in terms of strength and toughness. Despite extensive research, comprehensive experimental evidence of the formation and morphology of its internal structure is still limited and controversially discussed. Here, we report the complete mechanical decomposition of natural silk fibers from the golden silk orb-weaver Trichonephila clavipes into ≈10 nm-diameter nanofibrils, the material's apparent fundamental building blocks. Furthermore, we produced nanofibrils of virtually identical morphology by triggering an intrinsic self-assembly mechanism of the silk proteins. Independent physico-chemical fibrillation triggers were revealed, enabling fiber assembly from stored precursors "at-will". This knowledge furthers the understanding of this exceptional material's fundamentals, and ultimately, leads toward the realization of silk-based high-performance materials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Spider silk is one of the strongest and toughest biomaterials, rivaling the best man-made materials. The origins of these traits are still under debate but are mostly attributed to the material's intriguing hierarchical structure. Here we fully disassembled spider silk into 10 nm-diameter nanofibrils for the first time and showed that nanofibrils of the same appearance can be produced via molecular self-assembly of spider silk proteins under certain conditions. This shows that nanofibrils are the key structural elements in silk and leads toward the production of high-performance future materials inspired by spider silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinidu Perera
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Linxuan Li
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Chloe Walsh
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Jacob Silliman
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Yawei Xiong
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Qijue Wang
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Hannes C Schniepp
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA.
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Xie Q, On Lee S, Vissamsetti N, Guo S, Johnson ME, Fried SD. Secretion-Catalyzed Assembly of Protein Biomaterials on a Bacterial Membrane Surface. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202305178. [PMID: 37469298 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202305178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based biomaterials have played a key role in tissue engineering, and additional exciting applications as self-healing materials and sustainable polymers are emerging. Over the past few decades, recombinant expression and production of various fibrous proteins from microbes have been demonstrated; however, the resulting proteins typically must then be purified and processed by humans to form usable fibers and materials. Here, we show that the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis can be programmed to secrete silk through its translocon via an orthogonal signal peptide/peptidase pair. Surprisingly, we discover that this translocation mechanism drives the silk proteins to assemble into fibers spontaneously on the cell surface, in a process we call secretion-catalyzed assembly (SCA). Secreted silk fibers form self-healing hydrogels with minimal processing. Alternatively, the fibers retained on the membrane provide a facile route to create engineered living materials from Bacillus cells. This work provides a blueprint to achieve autonomous assembly of protein biomaterials in useful morphologies directly from microbial factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sea On Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nitya Vissamsetti
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sikao Guo
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Margaret E Johnson
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen D Fried
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
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36
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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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37
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Zhang Z, Yang X, Zhao Y, Ye F, Shang L. Liquid Crystal Materials for Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2300220. [PMID: 37235719 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystal is a state of matter being intermediate between solid and liquid. Liquid crystal materials exhibit both orientational order and fluidity. While liquid crystals have long been highly recognized in the display industry, in recent decades, liquid crystals provide new opportunities into the cross-field of material science and biomedicine due to their biocompatibility, multifunctionality, and responsiveness. In this review, the latest achievements of liquid crystal materials applied in biomedical fields are summarized. The start is made by introducing the basic concepts of liquid crystals, and then shifting to the components of liquid crystals as well as functional materials derived therefrom. After that, the ongoing and foreseeable applications of liquid crystal materials in the biomedical field with emphasis put on several cutting-edge aspects, including drug delivery, bioimaging, tissue engineering, implantable devices, biosensing, and wearable devices are discussed. It is hoped that this review will stimulate ingenious ideas for the future generation of liquid crystal-based drug development, artificial implants, disease diagnosis, health status monitoring, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuohao Zhang
- Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xinyuan Yang
- Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Fangfu Ye
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325001, China
| | - Luoran Shang
- Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
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Cao X, Ye C, Cao L, Shan Y, Ren J, Ling S. Biomimetic Spun Silk Ionotronic Fibers for Intelligent Discrimination of Motions and Tactile Stimuli. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2300447. [PMID: 37002548 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Innovation in the ionotronics field has significantly accelerated the development of ultraflexible devices and machines. However, it is still challenging to develop efficient ionotronic-based fibers with necessary stretchability, resilience, and conductivity due to inherent conflict in producing spinning dopes with both high polymer and ion concentrations and low viscosities. Inspired by the liquid crystalline spinning of animal silk, this study circumvents the inherent tradeoff in other spinning methods by dry spinning a nematic silk microfibril dope solution. The liquid crystalline texture allows the spinning dope to flow through the spinneret and form free-standing fibers under minimal external forces. The resultant silk-sourced ionotronic fibers (SSIFs) are highly stretchable, tough, resilient, and fatigue-resistant. These mechanical advantages ensure a rapid and recoverable electromechanical response of SSIFs to kinematic deformations. Further, the incorporation of SSIFs into core-shell triboelectric nanogenerator fibers provides outstanding stable and sensitive triboelectric response to precisely and sensitively perceive small pressures. Moreover, by implementing a combination of machine learning and Internet of Things techniques, the SSIFs can sort objects made of different materials. With these structural, processing, performance, and functional merits, the SSIFs prepared herein are expected to be applied in human-machine interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Cao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Chao Ye
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
- School of Textile and Clothing, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Jiangsu, 224051, China
| | - Leitao Cao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yicheng Shan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jing Ren
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, 201210, China
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Liu Y, Li K, Tian J, Gao A, Tian L, Su H, Miao S, Tao F, Ren H, Yang Q, Cao J, Yang P. Synthesis of robust underwater glues from common proteins via unfolding-aggregating strategy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5145. [PMID: 37620335 PMCID: PMC10449925 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40856-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Underwater adhesive proteins secreted by organisms greatly inspires the development of underwater glue. However, except for specific proteins such as mussel adhesive protein, barnacle cement proteins, curli protein and their related recombinant proteins, it is believed that abundant common proteins cannot be converted into underwater glue. Here, we demonstrate that unfolded common proteins exhibit high affinity to surfaces and strong internal cohesion via amyloid-like aggregation in water. Using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, we obtain a stable unfolded protein by cleaving the disulfide bonds and maintaining the unfolded state by means of stabilizing agents such as trifluoroethanol (TFE) and urea. The diffusion of stabilizing agents into water exposes the hydrophobic residues of an unfolded protein and initiates aggregation of the unfolded protein into a solid block. A robust and stable underwater glue can thus be prepared from tens of common proteins. This strategy deciphers a general code in common proteins to construct robust underwater glue from abundant biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Ke Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Common Aging Diseases, Translational and Research Centre for Prevention and Therapy of Chronic Disease, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Juanhua Tian
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Aiting Gao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Lihua Tian
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Hao Su
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Shuting Miao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Fei Tao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Hao Ren
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Qingmin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Key Laboratory of Archaeological Exploration and Cultural Heritage Conservation Technology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Culture and Heritage, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China.
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40
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Shatrov AB, Soldatenko EV, Benken KA, Petrov AA. The structural analysis of secretion in the freshwater mite Limnesia maculata (Acariformes, Limnesiidae) supports the idea of a new form of arthropod silk. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s10493-023-00826-y. [PMID: 37480394 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00826-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
The structural characteristics of silk secretion of the freshwater mite Limnesia maculata (O.F. Müller) (Acariformes, Limnesiidae) are described and analyzed for the first time based on light, atomic force and electron-microscopical approaches. The common dermal glands (14 pairs scattered over the body) produce silk mostly during the warm summer season. The process of silk secretion lasts from several hours to several days. The silk may appear like barely recognized clouds of a fine whitish substance. An individual silk thread is an indefinitely long uniform unbranched and non-stretchable tube, hollow or with a vesicular electron-dense residual content. In the silk bundle, threads may be freely interlaced, bent, curved or occasionally broken. The diameter of the tubes is in the range of 0.9-1.5 µm. The width of the tube walls varies greatly from 60 to 300 nm. Chaotically interlaced fine fibrils build the tube walls. On the external surface of the tube wall, these fibrils are loosely organized and frequently rising vertically, whereas on the internal side they are packed more tightly sometimes showing a mesh. The walls may reveal a layered structure or, contrary, are quite thin with through foramens. The revealed organization of silk in the freshwater mites is found to be the simplest among that of other arthropods. We propose a role of the silk in the capture of potential prey in the summer season. Silk in water mites significantly widens the wholesome area for the mites' life and gives them better chances in competition for potential resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey B Shatrov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, Russia, 199034.
| | - Elena V Soldatenko
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, Russia, 199034
| | - Konstantin A Benken
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, St. Petersburg, Russia, 199034
| | - Anatoly A Petrov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, Russia, 199034
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41
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Zhong J, Huang W, Zhou H. Multifunctionality in Nature: Structure-Function Relationships in Biological Materials. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:284. [PMID: 37504172 PMCID: PMC10807375 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern material design aims to achieve multifunctionality through integrating structures in a diverse range, resulting in simple materials with embedded functions. Biological materials and organisms are typical examples of this concept, where complex functionalities are achieved through a limited material base. This review highlights the multiscale structural and functional integration of representative natural organisms and materials, as well as biomimetic examples. The impact, wear, and crush resistance properties exhibited by mantis shrimp and ironclad beetle during predation or resistance offer valuable inspiration for the development of structural materials in the aerospace field. Investigating cyanobacteria that thrive in extreme environments can contribute to developing living materials that can serve in places like Mars. The exploration of shape memory and the self-repairing properties of spider silk and mussels, as well as the investigation of sensing-actuating and sensing-camouflage mechanisms in Banksias, chameleons, and moths, holds significant potential for the optimization of soft robot designs. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of mussel and gecko adhesion mechanisms can have a profound impact on medical fields, including tissue engineering and drug delivery. In conclusion, the integration of structure and function is crucial for driving innovations and breakthroughs in modern engineering materials and their applications. The gaps between current biomimetic designs and natural organisms are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; (J.Z.); (H.Z.)
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42
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Yang S, Zhao C, Yang Y, Ren J, Ling S. The Fractal Network Structure of Silk Fibroin Molecules and Its Effect on Spinning of Silkworm Silk. ACS NANO 2023; 17:7662-7673. [PMID: 37042465 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Animal silk is usually considered to exist as a solid fiber with a highly ordered structure, formed by the hierarchical assembly starting from a single silk fibroin (SF) chain. However, this study showed that silk protein molecules existed in the form of a fractal network structure in aqueous solution, rather than as a single chain. This type of network was relatively rigid with low fractal dimension. Finite element analysis revealed that this network structure significantly helped in the stable storage of SF prior to the spinning process and in the rapid formation of a β-sheeted nanocrystalline and nematic texture during spinning. Further, the strong but brittle mechanical properties of Bombyx mori silk could also be well-explained through the fractal network model of silk fibroin. The strength was mainly derived from the dual network structure, consisting of nodes and β-sheet cross-links, whereas the brittleness could be attributed to the rigidity of the SF chains between these nodes and cross-links. In summary, this study presents insights from network topology for understanding the spinning process of natural silk and the structure-property relationship in silk materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Chenxi Zhao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yunhao Yang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jing Ren
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
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43
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Zhang Z, Mu Z, Wang Y, Song W, Yu H, Zhang S, Li Y, Niu S, Han Z, Ren L. Lightweight Structural Biomaterials with Excellent Mechanical Performance: A Review. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:biomimetics8020153. [PMID: 37092405 PMCID: PMC10123704 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8020153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The rational design of desirable lightweight structural materials usually needs to meet the strict requirements of mechanical properties. Seeking optimal integration strategies for lightweight structures and high mechanical performance is always of great research significance in the rapidly developing composites field, which also draws significant attention from materials scientists and engineers. However, the intrinsic incompatibility of low mass and high strength is still an open challenge for achieving satisfied engineering composites. Fortunately, creatures in nature tend to possess excellent lightweight properties and mechanical performance to improve their survival ability. Thus, by ingenious structure configuration, lightweight structural biomaterials with simple components can achieve high mechanical performance. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in three typical structures in natural biomaterials: cellular structures, fibrous structures, and sandwich structures. For each structure, typical organisms are selected for comparison, and their compositions, structures, and properties are discussed in detail, respectively. In addition, bioinspired design approaches of each structure are briefly introduced. At last, the outlook on the design and fabrication of bioinspired composites is also presented to guide the development of advanced composites in future practical engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Zhengzhi Mu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Wenda Song
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Hexuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Yujiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Shichao Niu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Zhiwu Han
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Luquan Ren
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
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44
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Hou W, Wang J, Lv JA. Bioinspired Liquid Crystalline Spinning Enables Scalable Fabrication of High-Performing Fibrous Artificial Muscles. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2211800. [PMID: 36812485 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Leveraging liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) to realize scalable fabrication of high-performing fibrous artificial muscles is of particular interest because these active soft materials can provide large, reversible, programmable deformations upon environmental stimuli. High-performing fibrous LCEs require the used processing technology to enable shaping LCEs into micro-scale fine fibers as thin as possible while achieving macroscopic LC orientation, which however remains a daunting challenge. Here, a bioinspired spinning technology is reported that allows for continuous, high-speed production (fabrication speed up to 8400 m h-1 ) of thin and aligned LCE microfibers combined with rapid deformation (actuation strain rate up to 810% s-1 ), powerful actuation (actuation stress up to 5.3 MPa), high response frequency (50 Hz), and long cycle life (250 000 cycles without obvious fatigue). Inspired by liquid crystalline spinning of spiders that takes advantage of multiple drawdowns to thin and align their dragline silks, internal drawdown via tapered-wall-induced-shearing and external drawdown via mechanical stretching are employed to shape LCEs into long, thin, aligned microfibers with the desirable actuation performances, which few processing technologies can achieve. This bioinspired processing technology capable of scalable production of high-performing fibrous LCEs would benefit the development of smart fabrics, intelligent wearable devices, humanoid robotics, and other areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhao Hou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
| | - Jiu-An Lv
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
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45
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Liu Q, Wang X, Zhou Y, Tan X, Xie X, Li Y, Dong H, Tang Z, Zhao P, Xia Q. Dynamic Changes and Characterization of the Metal Ions in the Silk Glands and Silk Fibers of Silkworm. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076556. [PMID: 37047527 PMCID: PMC10094808 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Metal ions are involved in the conformational transition of silk fibroin and influence the structure and mechanical properties of silk fibers. However, the dynamic characteristics of metal ions during the formation of silk fibers remain unclear. In this study, we found that the silk glands of silkworms contain various metal elements, with varying levels of the metal elements in different zones of the glands and higher levels in the anterior silk glands. Additionally, the content of various metallic elements in the silk glands varied greatly before and after spinning, similar to their content in different cocoon layers, thus, indicating that the anterior silk glands maintain a certain metal ion environment for the transport and conformational transformation of the silk proteins. Most of the metallic elements located in fibroin were confirmed using degumming experiments. For the first time, a scanning electron microscope energy spectrometry system was used to characterize the metal elements in the cross-section of silk and cocoons. These findings have deepened our understanding of the relationship between the overall metal ion environment and silk fiber formation and help us further conceptualize the utilization of metal ions as targets to improve the mechanical properties of the silk fibers.
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46
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De Oliveira DH, Biler M, Mim C, Enstedt L, Kvick M, Norman P, Linares M, Hedhammar M. Silk Assembly against Hydrophobic Surfaces─Modeling and Imaging of Formation of Nanofibrils. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:1011-1018. [PMID: 36791416 PMCID: PMC10031558 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
A detailed insight about the molecular organization behind spider silk assembly is valuable for the decoding of the unique properties of silk. The recombinant partial spider silk protein 4RepCT contains four poly-alanine/glycine-rich repeats followed by an amphiphilic C-terminal domain and has shown the capacity to self-assemble into fibrils on hydrophobic surfaces. We herein use molecular dynamic simulations to address the structure of 4RepCT and its different parts on hydrophobic versus hydrophilic surfaces. When 4RepCT is placed in a wing arrangement model and periodically repeated on a hydrophobic surface, β-sheet structures of the poly-alanine repeats are preserved, while the CT part is settled on top, presenting a fibril with a height of ∼7 nm and a width of ∼11 nm. Both atomic force microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy imaging support this model as a possible fibril formation on hydrophobic surfaces. These results contribute to the understanding of silk assembly and alignment mechanism onto hydrophobic surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Hirabae De Oliveira
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michal Biler
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carsten Mim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Royal Technical Institute (KTH), Hälsovägen 11C, SE-141 27 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Linnea Enstedt
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Patrick Norman
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathieu Linares
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Scientific Visualization Group, ITN, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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47
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Saric M, Scheibel T. Two-in-One Spider Silk Protein with Combined Mechanical Features in All-Aqueous Spun Fibers. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1744-1750. [PMID: 36913547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Major ampullate (MA) spider silk reveals outstanding mechanical properties in terms of a unique combination of high tensile strength and extensibility, unmatched by most other known native or synthetic fiber materials. MA silk contains at least two spider silk proteins (spidroins), and here, a novel two-in-one (TIO) spidroin was engineered, resembling amino acid sequences of such two of the European garden spider. The combination of mechanical and chemical features of both underlying proteins facilitated the hierarchical self-assembly into β-sheet-rich superstructures. Due to the presence of native terminal dimerization domains, highly concentrated aqueous spinning dopes could be prepared from recombinant TIO spidroins. Subsequently, fibers were spun in a biomimetic, aqueous wet-spinning process, yielding mechanical properties at least twice as high as fibers spun from individual spidroins or blends. The presented processing route holds great potential for future applications using ecological green high-performance fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merisa Saric
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.,Bayreuther Zentrum für Kolloide und Grenzflächen (BZKG), Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.,Bayreuther Materialzentrum (BayMat), Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.,Bayreuther Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften (BZMB), Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.,Bayrisches Polymerinstitut (BPI), Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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48
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Stengel D, Saric M, Johnson HR, Schiller T, Diehl J, Chalek K, Onofrei D, Scheibel T, Holland GP. Tyrosine's Unique Role in the Hierarchical Assembly of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins: From Spinning Dope to Fibers. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1463-1474. [PMID: 36791420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Producing recombinant spider silk fibers that exhibit mechanical properties approaching native spider silk is highly dependent on the constitution of the spinning dope. Previously published work has shown that recombinant spider silk fibers spun from dopes with phosphate-induced pre-assembly (biomimetic dopes) display a toughness approaching native spider silks far exceeding the mechanical properties of fibers spun from dopes without pre-assembly (classical dopes). Dynamic light scattering experiments comparing the two dopes reveal that biomimetic dope displays a systematic increase in assembly size over time, while light microscopy indicates liquid-liquid-phase separation (LLPS) as evidenced by the formation of micron-scale liquid droplets. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shows that the structural state in classical and biomimetic dopes displays a general random coil conformation in both cases; however, some subtle but distinct differences are observed, including a more ordered state for the biomimetic dope and small chemical shift perturbations indicating differences in hydrogen bonding of the protein in the different dopes with notable changes occurring for Tyr residues. Solid-state NMR demonstrates that the final wet-spun fibers from the two dopes display no structural differences of the poly(Ala) stretches, but biomimetic fibers display a significant difference in Tyr ring packing in non-β-sheet, disordered helical domains that can be traced back to differences in dope preparations. It is concluded that phosphate pre-orders the recombinant silk protein in biomimetic dopes resulting in LLPS and fibers that exhibit vastly improved toughness that could be due to aromatic ring packing differences in non-β-sheet domains that contain Tyr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillan Stengel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Merisa Saric
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Hannah R Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Tim Schiller
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Johannes Diehl
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Kevin Chalek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - David Onofrei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Gregory P Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
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49
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Miserez A, Yu J, Mohammadi P. Protein-Based Biological Materials: Molecular Design and Artificial Production. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2049-2111. [PMID: 36692900 PMCID: PMC9999432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Polymeric materials produced from fossil fuels have been intimately linked to the development of industrial activities in the 20th century and, consequently, to the transformation of our way of living. While this has brought many benefits, the fabrication and disposal of these materials is bringing enormous sustainable challenges. Thus, materials that are produced in a more sustainable fashion and whose degradation products are harmless to the environment are urgently needed. Natural biopolymers─which can compete with and sometimes surpass the performance of synthetic polymers─provide a great source of inspiration. They are made of natural chemicals, under benign environmental conditions, and their degradation products are harmless. Before these materials can be synthetically replicated, it is essential to elucidate their chemical design and biofabrication. For protein-based materials, this means obtaining the complete sequences of the proteinaceous building blocks, a task that historically took decades of research. Thus, we start this review with a historical perspective on early efforts to obtain the primary sequences of load-bearing proteins, followed by the latest developments in sequencing and proteomic technologies that have greatly accelerated sequencing of extracellular proteins. Next, four main classes of protein materials are presented, namely fibrous materials, bioelastomers exhibiting high reversible deformability, hard bulk materials, and biological adhesives. In each class, we focus on the design at the primary and secondary structure levels and discuss their interplays with the mechanical response. We finally discuss earlier and the latest research to artificially produce protein-based materials using biotechnology and synthetic biology, including current developments by start-up companies to scale-up the production of proteinaceous materials in an economically viable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Miserez
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore637553.,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore637551
| | - Jing Yu
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore637553.,Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS), NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore637553
| | - Pezhman Mohammadi
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Espoo, UusimaaFI-02044, Finland
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50
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Rising A, Harrington MJ. Biological Materials Processing: Time-Tested Tricks for Sustainable Fiber Fabrication. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2155-2199. [PMID: 36508546 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to improve the sustainability of the materials we produce and use. Here, we explore what humans can learn from nature about how to sustainably fabricate polymeric fibers with excellent material properties by reviewing the physical and chemical aspects of materials processing distilled from diverse model systems, including spider silk, mussel byssus, velvet worm slime, hagfish slime, and mistletoe viscin. We identify common and divergent strategies, highlighting the potential for bioinspired design and technology transfer. Despite the diversity of the biopolymeric fibers surveyed, we identify several common strategies across multiple systems, including: (1) use of stimuli-responsive biomolecular building blocks, (2) use of concentrated fluid precursor phases (e.g., coacervates and liquid crystals) stored under controlled chemical conditions, and (3) use of chemical (pH, salt concentration, redox chemistry) and physical (mechanical shear, extensional flow) stimuli to trigger the transition from fluid precursor to solid material. Importantly, because these materials largely form and function outside of the body of the organisms, these principles can more easily be transferred for bioinspired design in synthetic systems. We end the review by discussing ongoing efforts and challenges to mimic biological model systems, with a particular focus on artificial spider silks and mussel-inspired materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rising
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
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