1
|
Yu S, Zheng H, Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Zhao S, Dai X, Zhong B. TALEN-mediated homologous-recombination-based fibroin light chain in-fusion expression system in Bombyx mori. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1399629. [PMID: 38832132 PMCID: PMC11144906 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1399629] [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: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Silkworm was the first domesticated insect and has important economic value. It has also become an ideal model organism with applications in genetic and expression studies. In recent years, the use of transgenic strategies has made the silkworm silk gland an attractive bioreactor for the production of recombinant proteins, in particular, piggyBac-mediated transgenes. However, owing to differences in regulatory elements such as promoters, the expression levels of exogenous proteins have not reached expectations. Here, we used targeted gene editing to achieve site-specific integration of exogenous genes on genomic DNA and established the fibroin light chain (FibL) in-fusion expression system by TALEN-mediated homology-directed recombination. First, the histidine-rich cuticular protein (CP) was successfully site-directed inserted into the native FibL, and the FibL-CP fusion gene was correctly transcribed and expressed in the posterior silk gland under the control of the endogenous FibL promoter, with a protein expression level comparable with that of the native FibL protein. Moreover, we showed based on molecular docking that the fusion of FibL with cuticular protein may have a negative effect on disulfide bond formation between the C-terminal domain of fibroin heavy chain (FibH) and FibL-CP, resulting in abnormal spinning and cocoon in homozygotes, indicating a significant role of FibL in silk protein formation and secretion. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using the FibL fusion system to express exogenous proteins in silkworm. We expect that this bioreactor system will be used to produce more proteins of interest, expanding the application value of the silk gland bioreactor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huoqing Zheng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuo Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zheng Zhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dai
- Suposik Bioscience Technologies Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lu W, Shi R, Li X, Ma S, Yang D, Shang D, Xia Q. A review on complete silk gene sequencing and de novo assembly of artificial silk. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130444. [PMID: 38417762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130444] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Silk, especially spider and insect silk, is a highly versatile biomaterial with potential applications in biomedicine, materials science, and biomimetic engineering. The primary structure of silk proteins is the basis for the mechanical properties of silk fibers. Biotechnologies such as single-molecule sequencing have facilitated an increasing number of reports on new silk genes and assembled silk proteins. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in representative spider and insect silk proteins, focusing on identification methods, sequence characteristics, and de novo design and assembly. The review discusses three identification methods for silk genes: polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based sequencing, PCR-free cloning and sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. Moreover, it reveals the main spider and insect silk proteins and their sequences. Subsequent de novo assembly of artificial silk is covered and future research directions in the field of silk proteins, including new silk genes, customizable artificial silk, and the expansion of silk production and applications are discussed. This review provides a basis for the genetic aspects of silk production and the potential applications of artificial silk in material science and biomedical engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Run Shi
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xue Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Sanyuan Ma
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Daiying Yang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Deli Shang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yu Y, Chen K, Wang J, Zhang Z, Hu B, Liu X, Lin Z, Tan A. Custom-designed, mass silk production in genetically engineered silkworms. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae128. [PMID: 38562581 PMCID: PMC10983830 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Genetically engineered silkworms have been widely used to obtain silk with modified characteristics especially by introducing spider silk genes. However, these attempts are still challenging due to limitations in transformation strategies and difficulties in integration of the large DNA fragments. Here, we describe three different transformation strategies in genetically engineered silkworms, including transcription-activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN)-mediated fibroin light chain (FibL) fusion (BmFibL-F), TALEN-mediated FibH replacement (BmFibH-R), and transposon-mediated genetic transformation with the silk gland-specific fibroin heavy chain (FibH) promoter (BmFibH-T). As the result, the yields of exogenous silk proteins, a 160 kDa major ampullate spidroin 2 (MaSp2) from the orb-weaving spider Nephila clavipes and a 226 kDa fibroin heavy chain protein (EvFibH) from the bagworm Eumeta variegate, reach 51.02 and 64.13% in BmFibH-R transformed cocoon shells, respectively. Moreover, the presence of MaSp2 or EvFibH significantly enhances the toughness of genetically engineered silk fibers by ∼86% in BmFibH-T and ∼80% in BmFibH-R silkworms, respectively. Structural analysis reveals a substantial ∼40% increase in fiber crystallinity, primarily attributed to the presence of unique polyalanines in the repetitive sequences of MaSp2 or EvFibH. In addition, RNA-seq analysis reveals that BmFibH-R system only causes minor impact on the expression of endogenous genes. Our study thus provides insights into developing custom-designed silk production using the genetically engineered silkworm as the bioreactor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Jingxia Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Zhi Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dai X, Ye X, Shi L, Yu S, Wang X, Zhong B. High mechanical property silk produced by transgenic silkworms expressing the Drosophila Dumpy. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1359587. [PMID: 38410165 PMCID: PMC10895422 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1359587] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted on utilizing transgenic silkworms and their natural spinning apparatus to produce high-performance spider silk fibers. However, research on using non-spider biological proteins to optimize the molecular structure of silk protein and improve the mechanical performance of silk fibers is still relatively scarce. Dumpy, a massive extracellular matrix polypeptide, is essential for preserving the shape and structural integrity of the insect cuticle due to its remarkable tension and elasticity. Here, we constructed two transgenic donor plasmids containing the fusion genes of FibH-Dumpy and FibL-Dumpy. The results indicated the successful integration of two exogenous gene expression cassettes, driven by endogenous promoters, into the silkworm genome using piggyBac-mediated transgenic technology. Secondary structure analysis revealed a 16.7% and 13.6% increase in the β-sheet content of transgenic silks compared to wild-type (WT) silk fibers. Mechanical testing demonstrated that, compared to the WT, HDUY and LDUY transgenic silk fibers exhibited respective increases of 39.54% and 21.45% in maximum stress, 44.43% and 45.02% in toughness, and 24.91% and 28.51% in elastic recovery rate. These findings suggest that Drosophila Dumpy significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of silk, positioning it as an excellent candidate for the development of extraordinary-performance fibers. This study provides rich inspiration for using other biological proteins to construct high-performance silk fibers and expands the possibilities for designing and applying novel biomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangping Dai
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangen Shi
- Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shihua Yu
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hu X, Li N, Guo S, Zhu M, Zhang X, Wang C, Gong C. Rapid production of chimeric silkworm/spider silk with improved mechanical properties by infection of nonpermissive Bombyx mori with recombinant AcMNPV harboring native-size of spidroin genes. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 256:128466. [PMID: 38035957 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128466] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Spider silks with excellent mechanical properties attract more attention from scientists worldwide, and the dragline silk that serves as the framework of the spider's web is considered one of the strongest fibers. However, it is unfeasible for large-scale production of spider silk due to its highly territorial, cannibalistic, predatory, and solitary behavior. Herein, to alleviate some of these problems and explore aneasy way to produce spider fibers, we constructed recombinant baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) simultaneously expressing Trichonephila clavipes native ampullate spidroin 2 (MaSp-G) and spidroin 1 (MaSp-C) driven by the promoters of silkworm fibroin genes, to infect the nonpermissive Bombyx mori larvae at the fifth instar. MaSp-G and MaSp-C were co-expressed in the posterior silk glands (PSGs) of infected silkworms and successfully secreted into the lumen of the silk gland for fibroin globule assembly. The integration of MaSp-G and MaSp-C into silkworm silk fibers significantly improved the mechanical properties of these chimeric silk fibers, especially the strength and extensibility, which may be caused by the increment of β-sheet in the chimeric silkworm/spider silk fiber. These results demonstrated that silkworms could be developed as the nonpermissive heterologous host for the mass production of chimeric silkworm/spider silk fibers via the recombinant baculovirus AcMNPV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Hu
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Nan Li
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Sicheng Guo
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Min Zhu
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Chonglong Wang
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Chengliang Gong
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Aramwit P, Jiang Q, Muppuri S, Reddy N. Transgenic modifications of silkworms as a means to obtain therapeutic biomolecules and protein fibers with exceptional properties. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:2827-2839. [PMID: 37243890 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28455] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Transgenic modification of Bombyx mori silkworms is a benign approach for the production of silk fibers with extraordinary properties and also to generate therapeutic proteins and other biomolecules for various applications. Silk fibers with fluorescence lasting more than a year, natural protein fibers with strength and toughness exceeding that of spider silk, proteins and therapeutic biomolecules with exceptional properties have been developed using transgenic technology. The transgenic modifications have been done primarily by modifying the silk sericin and fibroin genes and also the silk producing glands. Although the genetic modifications were typically performed using the sericin 1 and other genes, newer techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 have enabled successful modifications of both the fibroin H-chain and L-chain. Such modifications have led to the production of therapeutic proteins and other biomolecules in reasonable quantities at affordable costs for tissue engineering and other medical applications. Transgenically modified silkworms also have distinct and long-lasting fluorescence useful for bioimaging applications. This review presents an overview of the transgenic techniques for modifications of B. mori silkworms and the properties obtained due to such modifications with particular focus on production of growth factors, fluorescent proteins, and high performance protein fibers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pornanong Aramwit
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Center of Excellence in Bioactive Resources for Innovative Clinical Applications, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- The Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Thailand, Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Qiuran Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science &Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
- College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
| | - Supritha Muppuri
- Center for Incubation, Innovation, Research and Consultancy, Jyothy Institute of Technology, Thataguni Post, Bengaluru, India
| | - Narendra Reddy
- Center for Incubation, Innovation, Research and Consultancy, Jyothy Institute of Technology, Thataguni Post, Bengaluru, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Takasu Y, Yamada N, Kojima K, Iga M, Yukuhiro F, Iizuka T, Yoshioka T. Fibroin heavy chain gene replacement with a highly ordered synthetic repeat sequence in Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 161:104002. [PMID: 37657611 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
The exceptional quality of silkworm silk is attributed to the amino acid sequence of its fibroin heavy chain (Fib-H) protein. The large central domain of Fib-H, which consists of glycine- and alanine-rich crystalline regions interspersed with amorphous motifs of approximately 30 amino acid residues, is considered crucial for fibrilization and determines the properties of the silk fiber. We established a technical platform to modify the Fib-H core region systematically using transcription activator-like effector nuclease-mediated homologous recombination through a somatic and germline gene knockin assay along with PCR-based screening. This efficient knockin system was used to generate a silkworm strain carrying a mutant Fib-H allele, in which the core region was replaced with a highly ordered synthetic repeat sequence of a length comparable with native Fib-H core. Heterozygous knockin mutants produced seemingly normal cocoons, whereas homozygotes did not and exhibited considerable degradation in their posterior silk glands (PSGs). Cross-sectional examination of the PSG lumen and tensile tests conducted on reeled silk threads indicated that the mutant Fib-H, which exhibited reduced stability in the PSG cells and lumen, affected the mechanical properties of the fiber. Thus, sequence manipulation of the Fib-H core domain was identified as a crucial step in successfully creating artificial silk using knockin technology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Takasu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Nobuto Yamada
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Katsura Kojima
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Iga
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Fumiko Yukuhiro
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Iizuka
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Taiyo Yoshioka
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Greco G, Schmuck B, Jalali SK, Pugno NM, Rising A. Influence of experimental methods on the mechanical properties of silk fibers: A systematic literature review and future road map. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:031301. [PMID: 38510706 PMCID: PMC10903380 DOI: 10.1063/5.0155552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Spider silk fibers are of scientific and industrial interest because of their extraordinary mechanical properties. These properties are normally determined by tensile tests, but the values obtained are dependent on the morphology of the fibers, the test conditions, and the methods by which stress and strain are calculated. Because of this, results from many studies are not directly comparable, which has led to widespread misconceptions in the field. Here, we critically review most of the reports from the past 50 years on spider silk mechanical performance and use artificial spider silk and native silks as models to highlight the effect that different experimental setups have on the fibers' mechanical properties. The results clearly illustrate the importance of carefully evaluating the tensile test methods when comparing the results from different studies. Finally, we suggest a protocol for how to perform tensile tests on silk and biobased fibers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - S. K. Jalali
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta, Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | | | - Anna Rising
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Guo K, Dong Z, Zhang X, Chen Y, Li Y, Jiang W, Qin L, Zhang Y, Guo Z, Xia Q, Zhao P. Analysis of histomorphometric and proteome dynamics inside the silk gland lumen of Bombyx mori revealed the dynamic change of silk protein during the molt stage. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 236:123926. [PMID: 36889618 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Silkworms spin different silks at different growth stages for specific purposes. The silk spun before the end of each instar is stronger than that at the beginning of each instar and cocoon silk. However, the compositional changes in silk proteins during this process are unknown. Consequently, we performed histomorphological and proteomic analyses of the silk gland to characterize changes from the instar end to the next instar beginning. The silk glands were collected on day 3 of third- and fourth-instar larvae (III-3 and IV-3) and the beginning of fourth-instar larvae (IV-0). Proteomic analysis identified 2961 proteins from all silk glands. Silk proteins P25 and Ser5 were significantly more abundant in III-3 and IV-3 than in IV-0, and many cuticular proteins and protease inhibitors increased significantly in IV-0 compared with III-3 and IV-3. This shift may cause mechanical property differences between the instar end and beginning silk. Using section staining, qPCR, and western blotting, we found for the first time that silk proteins were degraded first and then resynthesized during the molting stage. Furthermore, we revealed that fibroinase mediated the changes of silk proteins during molting. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of silk proteins dynamic regulation during molting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyu Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaoming Dong
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Li
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Wenchao Jiang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Lixia Qin
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhouguanrui Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Biochemical Characterization and Functional Analysis of Glucose Regulated Protein 78 from the Silkworm Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043964. [PMID: 36835371 PMCID: PMC9961775 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043964] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The glucose regulated protein (GRP78) is an important chaperone for various environmental and physiological stimulations. Despite the importance of GRP78 in cell survival and tumor progression, the information regarding GRP78 in silkworm Bombyx mori L. is poorly explored. We previously identified that GRP78 expression was significantly upregulated in the silkworm Nd mutation proteome database. Herein, we characterized the GRP78 protein from silkworm B. mori (hereafter, BmGRP78). The identified BmGRP78 protein encoded a 658 amino acid residues protein with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 73 kDa and comprised of two structural domains, a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and a substrate-binding domain (SBD). BmGRP78 was ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues and developmental stages by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. The purified recombinant BmGRP78 (rBmGRP78) exhibited ATPase activity and could inhibit the aggregating thermolabile model substrates. Heat-induction or Pb/Hg-exposure strongly stimulated the upregulation expression at the translation levels of BmGRP78 in BmN cells, whereas no significant change resulting from BmNPV infection was found. Additionally, heat, Pb, Hg, and BmNPV exposure resulted in the translocation of BmGRP78 into the nucleus. These results lay a foundation for the future identification of the molecular mechanisms related to GRP78 in silkworms.
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhao S, Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Yu S, Zhong B. Drosophila melanogaster resilin improves the mechanical properties of transgenic silk. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282533. [PMID: 36867637 PMCID: PMC9983856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilin is a natural protein with high extensibility and resilience that plays a key role in the biological processes of insects, such as flight, bouncing, and vocalization. This study used piggyBac-mediated transgenic technology to stably insert the Drosophila melanogaster resilin gene into the silkworm genome to investigate whether exogenous protein structures improve the mechanical properties of silkworm silk. Molecular detection showed that recombinant resilin was expressed and secreted into silk. Secondary structure and mechanical property analysis showed that the β-sheet content in silk from transgenic silkworms was higher than in wild-type silk. The fracture strength of silk fused with resilin protein was 7.2% higher than wild-type silk. The resilience of recombinant silk after one-time stretching and cyclic stretching was 20.5% and 18.7% higher than wild-type silk, respectively. In summary, Drosophila resilin can enhance the mechanical properties of silk, and this study is the first to improve the mechanical properties of silk using proteins other than spider silk, which broadens the possibilities for the design and application of biomimetic silk materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zheng Zhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Johari N, Khodaei A, Samadikuchaksaraei A, Reis RL, Kundu SC, Moroni L. Ancient fibrous biomaterials from silkworm protein fibroin and spider silk blends: Biomechanical patterns. Acta Biomater 2022; 153:38-67. [PMID: 36126911 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Silkworm silk protein fibroin and spider silk spidroin are known biocompatible and natural biodegradable polymers in biomedical applications. The presence of β-sheets in silk fibroin and spider spidroin conformation improves their mechanical properties. The strength and toughness of pure recombinant silkworm fibroin and spidroin are relatively low due to reduced molecular weight. Hence, blending is the foremost approach of recent studies to optimize silk fibroin and spidroin's mechanical properties. As summarised in the present review, numerous research investigations evaluate the blending of natural and synthetic polymers. The effects of blending silk fibroin and spidroin with natural and synthetic polymers on the mechanical properties are discussed in this review article. Indeed, combining natural and synthetic polymers with silk fibroin and spidroin changes their conformation and structure, fine-tuning the blends' mechanical properties. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Silkworm and spider silk proteins (silk fibroin and spidroin) are biocompatible and biodegradable natural polymers having different types of biomedical applications. Their mechanical and biological properties may be tuned through various strategies such as blending, conjugating and cross-linking. Blending is the most common method to modify fibroin and spidroin properties on demand, this review article aims to categorize and evaluate the effects of blending fibroin and spidroin with different natural and synthetic polymers. Increased polarity and hydrophilicity end to hydrogen bonding triggered conformational change in fibroin and spidroin blends. The effect of polarity and hydrophilicity of the blending compound is discussed and categorized to a combinatorial, synergistic and indirect impacts. This outlook guides us to choose the blending compounds mindfully as this mixing affects the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of the biomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Narges Johari
- Materials Engineering group, Golpayegan College of Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Golpayegan, Iran.
| | - Azin Khodaei
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Ali Samadikuchaksaraei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Subhas C Kundu
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Lorenzo Moroni
- Maastricht University, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kawahara AY, Storer CG, Markee A, Heckenhauer J, Powell A, Plotkin D, Hotaling S, Cleland TP, Dikow RB, Dikow T, Kuranishi RB, Messcher R, Pauls SU, Stewart RJ, Tojo K, Frandsen PB. Long-read HiFi sequencing correctly assembles repetitive heavy fibroin silk genes in new moth and caddisfly genomes. GIGABYTE 2022; 2022:gigabyte64. [PMID: 36824508 PMCID: PMC9693786 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect silk is a versatile biomaterial. Lepidoptera and Trichoptera display some of the most diverse uses of silk, with varying strength, adhesive qualities, and elastic properties. Silk fibroin genes are long (>20 Kbp), with many repetitive motifs that make them challenging to sequence. Most research thus far has focused on conserved N- and C-terminal regions of fibroin genes because a full comparison of repetitive regions across taxa has not been possible. Using the PacBio Sequel II system and SMRT sequencing, we generated high fidelity (HiFi) long-read genomic and transcriptomic sequences for the Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella) and genomic sequences for the caddisfly Eubasilissa regina. Both genomes were highly contiguous (N50 = 9.7 Mbp/32.4 Mbp, L50 = 13/11) and complete (BUSCO complete = 99.3%/95.2%), with complete and contiguous recovery of silk heavy fibroin gene sequences. We show that HiFi long-read sequencing is helpful for understanding genes with long, repetitive regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akito Y. Kawahara
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Caroline G. Storer
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Pacific Biosciences, 1305 O’Brien Dr., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Amanda Markee
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jacqueline Heckenhauer
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt 60325, Germany
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60325, Germany
| | - Ashlyn Powell
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - David Plotkin
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Timothy P. Cleland
- Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD 20746, USA
| | - Rebecca B. Dikow
- Data Science Lab, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - Torsten Dikow
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ryoichi B. Kuranishi
- Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
- Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 243-0292, Japan
| | - Rebeccah Messcher
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Steffen U. Pauls
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt 60325, Germany
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60325, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University, Gießen 35390, Germany
| | - Russell J. Stewart
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Koji Tojo
- Department of Biology, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan
| | - Paul B. Frandsen
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
- Data Science Lab, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Diaz C, Baker RH, Long JH, Hayashi CY. Connecting materials, performance and evolution: a case study of the glue of moth-catching spiders (Cyrtarachninae). J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274249. [PMID: 35119070 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Morphological structures and extended phenotypes are made possible by materials that are encoded by the genome. Nearly all biomaterials are viscoelastic, which means that to understand performance, one must understand the strain rate-dependent properties of these materials in relevant ecological interactions, as the behavior of a material can vary dramatically and rapidly. Spider silks are an example of materials whose properties vary substantially intra- and inter-specifically. Here, we focus on aggregate silk, which functions as a biological adhesive. As a case study to understand how a material manifests from genome through organism to ecology, we highlight moth-specialist spiders, the Cyrtarachninae, and their glues as an ideal experimental system to investigate the relationship between genomics and ecologically variable performance of a biological material. There is a clear eco-evolutionary innovation that Cyrtarachne akirai and related species have evolved, a unique trait not found in other spiders, a glue which overcomes the scales of moths. By examining traditional orb-weavers, C. akirai and other subfamily members using biomechanical testing and genomic analysis, we argue that we can track the evolution of this novel bioadhesive and comment on the selection pressures influencing prey specialization. The importance of the ecological context of materials testing is exemplified by the poor performance of C. akirai glue on glass and the exceptional spreading ability and adhesive strength on moths. The genetic basis for these performance properties is experimentally tractable because spider silk genes are minimally pleiotropic and advances in genomic technologies now make possible the discovery of complete silk gene sequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Candido Diaz
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0731, USA
| | - Richard H Baker
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - John H Long
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0731, USA
| | - Cheryl Y Hayashi
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tang X, Ye X, Wang X, Zhao S, Wu M, Ruan J, Zhong B. High mechanical property silk produced by transgenic silkworms expressing the spidroins PySp1 and ASG1. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20980. [PMID: 34697320 PMCID: PMC8546084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00029-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider silk is one of the best natural fibers with excellent mechanical properties; however, due to the visual awareness, biting behavior and territory consciousness of spiders, we cannot obtain spider silk by large-scale breeding. Silkworms have a spinning system similar to that of spiders, and the use of transgenic technology in Bombyx mori, which is an ideal reactor for producing spider silk, is routine. In this study, the piggyBac transposon technique was used to achieve specific expression of two putative spider silk genes in the posterior silk glands of silkworms: aggregate spider glue 1 (ASG1) of Trichonephila clavipes (approximately 1.2 kb) and two repetitive units of pyriform spidroin 1 (PySp1) of Argiope argentata (approximately 1.4 kb). Then, two reconstituted spider silk-producing strains, the AG and PA strains, were obtained. Finally, the toughness of the silk fiber was increased by up to 91.5% and the maximum stress was enhanced by 36.9% in PA, and the respective properties in AG were increased by 21.0% and 34.2%. In summary, these two spider genes significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of silk fiber, which can provide a basis for spidroin silk production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Tang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuo Zhao
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Meiyu Wu
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinghua Ruan
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Long Y, Cheng X, Tang Q, Chen L. The antigenicity of silk-based biomaterials: sources, influential factors and applications. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:8365-8377. [PMID: 34542139 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00752a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Silk is an ancient material with essential roles in numerous biomedical applications, such as tissue regeneration and drug delivery, because of its excellent tunable mechanical properties and diverse physical structures. In addition to the necessary functionalities for biomedical applications, another critical factor for materials applied in biology is the appropriate immune interactions with the body. This review focuses on the immune responses of silk-based materials applied in biomedical applications, specifically antigenicity. The factors affecting the antigenicity of silk-based materials are complicated and are related to the composition and structural characteristics of the materials. At the same time, the composition of silk-based materials varies with its species sources, such as silkworms, spiders, honey bees, or engineered recombinant silk. Additionally, different processing methods are used to fabricate different material formats, such as films, hydrogels, scaffolds, particles, and fibers, resulting in different structural characteristics. Furthermore, the resulting body reactions are also different with different degrees of the immune response. Silk protein typically induces a mild immune response, and immunogenicity can play active roles in osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and protection from inflammation. However, there are some rare reports of severe immune responses caused by silk, which can result in an allergic response or tissue necrosis. The source of allergenicity in silk-based materials is currently under-studied and how to regulate and eliminate the overreaction of the immune system is essential for further applications. Overall, the diverse characteristics of silk-based materials mostly show beneficial bioresponses with mild immunogenicity, and the tunable properties make it applicable in immune-related biomedical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Long
- Department of Stomatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. .,School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.,Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xian Cheng
- Department of Dentistry - Biomaterials, Radboud University Medical Center, Philips van Leydenlaan 25, 6525 EX Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Qingming Tang
- Department of Stomatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. .,School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.,Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Lili Chen
- Department of Stomatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. .,School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.,Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan 430022, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
P25 Gene Knockout Contributes to Human Epidermal Growth Factor Production in Transgenic Silkworms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052709. [PMID: 33800168 PMCID: PMC7962452 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic silkworm expression systems have been applied for producing various recombinant proteins. Knocking out or downregulating an endogenous silk protein is considered a viable strategy for improving the ability of transgenic expression systems to produce exogenous proteins. Here, we report the expression of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) in a P25 gene knockout silkworm. The hEGF gene regulated by the P25 gene promoter was integrated into a silkworm's genome. Five transgenic positive silkworm lineages were generated with different insertion sites on silkworm chromosomes and the ability to synthesize and secrete proteins into cocoons. Then, a cross-strategy was used to produce transgenic silkworms with a P25 gene knockout background. The results of the protein analysis showed that the loss of an endogenous P25 protein can increase the hEGF production to about 2.2-fold more than normal silkworms. Compared to those of transgenic silkworms with wild type (non-knockout) background, the morphology and secondary structure of cocoon silks were barely changed in transgenic silkworms with a P25 gene knockout background, indicating their similar physical properties of cocoon silks. In conclusion, P25 gene knockout silkworms may become an efficient bioreactor for the production of exogenous proteins and a promising tool for producing various protein-containing silk biomaterials.
Collapse
|
18
|
Zhao S, Ye X, Wu M, Ruan J, Wang X, Tang X, Zhong B. Recombinant Silk Proteins with Additional Polyalanine Have Excellent Mechanical Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041513. [PMID: 33546270 PMCID: PMC7913374 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper explores the structures of exogenous protein molecules that can effectively improve the mechanical properties of silkworm silk. Several transgenic vectors fused with the silkworm fibroin light chain and type 3 repeats in different multiples of the ampullate dragline silk protein 1 (MaSp1) from black widow spider with different lengths of the polyalanine motifs were constructed for this study. Transgenic silkworms were successfully obtained by piggyBac-mediated microinjection. Molecular detection showed that foreign proteins were successfully secreted and contained within the cocoon shells. According to the prediction of PONDR® VSL2 and PONDR® VL-XT, the type 3 repeats and the polyalanine motif of the MaSp1 protein were amorphous. The results of FTIR analysis showed that the content of β-sheets in the silk of transgenic silkworms engineered with transgenic vectors with additional polyalanine was significantly higher than that of wild-type silkworm silk. Additionally, silk with a higher β-sheet content had better fracture strength and Young’s modulus. The mechanical properties of silk with longer chains of exogenous proteins were improved. In general, our results provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the large-scale production of excellent bionic silk.
Collapse
|
19
|
Jia X, Pang X, Yuan Y, Gao Q, Lu M, Zhang G, Dai F, Zhao T. Unpredictable recombination of PB transposon in Silkworm: a potential risk. Mol Genet Genomics 2020; 296:271-277. [PMID: 33201294 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-020-01743-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The piggyBac (PB) transposon is the most widely used vector for generating transgenic silkworms. The stability of the PB transposon in the receptor is a serious concern that requires attention because of biosafety concerns. In this study, we found that the transgene silkworm developed loss of reporter gene traits. To further investigate the regularity, we traced the genes and traits of this silkworm. After successful alteration of the silkworm genome with the MASP1 gene (named red-eyed silkworm; RES), silkworm individuals with lost reporter genes were found after long-term transgenerational breeding and were designated as the white-eyed silkworm (WES). PCR amplification indicated that exogenous genes had been lost in the WES. Testing was conducted on the PB transposons, and the left arm (L arm) did not exist; however, the right arm (R arm) was preserved. Amino acid analysis showed that the amino acid content of the WES changed versus the common silkworm and RES. These results indicate that the migration of PB transposons in Bombyx mori does occur and is unpredictable. This is because the silkworm genome contains multiple PB-like sequences that might influence the genetic stability of transgenic lines. When using PB transposons as a transgene vector, it is necessary to fully evaluate and take necessary measures to prevent its re-migration in the recipient organism. Further experiments are needed if we want to clarify the regularity of the retransposition phenomenon and the direct and clear association with similar sequences of transposons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuehua Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xiaoyu Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yajie Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Ming Lu
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Guangxian Zhang
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - FangYing Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Tianfu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Textile and Garment, Southwest University, No. 2 Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China. .,Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Expanding Canonical Spider Silk Properties through a DNA Combinatorial Approach. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13163596. [PMID: 32823912 PMCID: PMC7475873 DOI: 10.3390/ma13163596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The properties of native spider silk vary within and across species due to the presence of different genes containing conserved repetitive core domains encoding a variety of silk proteins. Previous studies seeking to understand the function and material properties of these domains focused primarily on the analysis of dragline silk proteins, MaSp1 and MaSp2. Our work seeks to broaden the mechanical properties of silk-based biomaterials by establishing two libraries containing genes from the repetitive core region of the native Latrodectus hesperus silk genome (Library A: genes masp1, masp2, tusp1, acsp1; Library B: genes acsp1, pysp1, misp1, flag). The expressed and purified proteins were analyzed through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR). Some of these new proteins revealed a higher portion of β-sheet content in recombinant proteins produced from gene constructs containing a combination of masp1/masp2 and acsp1/tusp1 genes than recombinant proteins which consisted solely of dragline silk genes (Library A). A higher portion of β-turn and random coil content was identified in recombinant proteins from pysp1 and flag genes (Library B). Mechanical characterization of selected proteins purified from Library A and Library B formed into films was assessed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and suggested Library A recombinant proteins had higher elastic moduli when compared to Library B recombinant proteins. Both libraries had higher elastic moduli when compared to native spider silk proteins. The preliminary approach demonstrated here suggests that repetitive core regions of the aforementioned genes can be used as building blocks for new silk-based biomaterials with varying mechanical properties.
Collapse
|