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Joel AC, Rawal A, Yao Y, Jenner A, Ariotti N, Weissbach M, Adler L, Stafstrom J, Blamires SJ. Physico-chemical properties of functionally adhesive spider silk nanofibres. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:2139-2150. [PMID: 36727424 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01599d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Currently, synthetic fibre production focuses primarily on high performance materials. For high performance fibrous materials, such as silks, this involves interpreting the structure-function relationship and downsizing to a smaller scale to then harness those properties within synthetic products. Spiders create an array of fibres that range in size from the micrometre to nanometre scale. At about 20 nm diameter spider cribellate silk, the smallest of these silks, is too small to contain any of the typical secondary protein structures of other spider silks, let alone a hierarchical skin-core-type structure. Here, we performed a multitude of investigations to elucidate the structure of cribellate spider silk. These confirmed our hypothesis that, unlike all other types of spider silk, it has a disordered molecular structure. Alanine and glycine, the two amino acids predominantly found in other spider silks, were much less abundant and did not form the usual α-helices and β-sheet secondary structural arrangements. Correspondingly, we characterized the cribellate silk nanofibre to be very compliant. This characterization matches its function as a dry adhesive within the capture threads of cribellate spiders. Our results imply that at extremely small scales there may be a limit reached below which a silk will lose its structural, but not functional, integrity. Nano-sized fibres, such as cribellate silk, thus offer a new opportunity for inspiring the creation of novel scaled-down functional adhesives and nano meta-materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Christin Joel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. .,School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Aditya Rawal
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yin Yao
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew Jenner
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicholas Ariotti
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Lewis Adler
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jay Stafstrom
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Sean J Blamires
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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2
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Melrose J. High Performance Marine and Terrestrial Bioadhesives and the Biomedical Applications They Have Inspired. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27248982. [PMID: 36558114 PMCID: PMC9783952 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study has reviewed the naturally occurring bioadhesives produced in marine and freshwater aqueous environments and in the mucinous exudates of some terrestrial animals which have remarkable properties providing adhesion under difficult environmental conditions. These bioadhesives have inspired the development of medical bioadhesives with impressive properties that provide an effective alternative to suturing surgical wounds improving closure and healing of wounds in technically demanding tissues such as the heart, lung and soft tissues like the brain and intestinal mucosa. The Gecko has developed a dry-adhesive system of exceptional performance and has inspired the development of new generation re-usable tapes applicable to many medical procedures. The silk of spider webs has been equally inspiring to structural engineers and materials scientists and has revealed innovative properties which have led to new generation technologies in photonics, phononics and micro-electronics in the development of wearable biosensors. Man made products designed to emulate the performance of these natural bioadhesive molecules are improving wound closure and healing of problematic lesions such as diabetic foot ulcers which are notoriously painful and have also found application in many other areas in biomedicine. Armed with information on the mechanistic properties of these impressive biomolecules major advances are expected in biomedicine, micro-electronics, photonics, materials science, artificial intelligence and robotics technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Melrose
- Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia;
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Northern Campus, The University of Sydney, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
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3
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England SJ, Robert D. The ecology of electricity and electroreception. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:383-413. [PMID: 34643022 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Electricity, the interaction between electrically charged objects, is widely known to be fundamental to the functioning of living systems. However, this appreciation has largely been restricted to the scale of atoms, molecules, and cells. By contrast, the role of electricity at the ecological scale has historically been largely neglected, characterised by punctuated islands of research infrequently connected to one another. Recently, however, an understanding of the ubiquity of electrical forces within the natural environment has begun to grow, along with a realisation of the multitude of ecological interactions that these forces may influence. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive collation and synthesis of research in this emerging field of electric ecology. This includes assessments of the role electricity plays in the natural ecology of predator-prey interactions, pollination, and animal dispersal, among many others, as well as the impact of anthropogenic activity on these systems. A detailed introduction to the ecology and physiology of electroreception - the biological detection of ecologically relevant electric fields - is also provided. Further to this, we suggest avenues for future research that show particular promise, most notably those investigating the recently discovered sense of aerial electroreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam J England
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Daniel Robert
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
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4
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Ura D, Knapczyk-Korczak J, Szewczyk PK, Sroczyk EA, Busolo T, Marzec MM, Bernasik A, Kar-Narayan S, Stachewicz U. Surface Potential Driven Water Harvesting from Fog. ACS NANO 2021; 15:8848-8859. [PMID: 33900735 PMCID: PMC8158858 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c01437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Access to clean water is a global challenge, and fog collectors are a promising solution. Polycarbonate (PC) fibers have been used in fog collectors but with limited efficiency. In this study, we show that controlling voltage polarity and humidity during the electrospinning of PC fibers improves their surface properties for water collection capability. We experimentally measured the effect of both the surface morphology and the chemistry of PC fiber on their surface potential and mechanical properties in relation to the water collection efficiency from fog. PC fibers produced at high humidity and with negative voltage polarity show a superior water collection rate combined with the highest tensile strength. We proved that electric potential on surface and morphology are crucial, as often designed by nature, for enhancing the water collection capabilities via the single-step production of fibers without any postprocessing needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel
P. Ura
- Faculty
of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Knapczyk-Korczak
- Faculty
of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr K. Szewczyk
- Faculty
of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa A. Sroczyk
- Faculty
of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Tommaso Busolo
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, CB3 0FS Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mateusz M. Marzec
- Academic
Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Andrzej Bernasik
- Academic
Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
- Faculty
of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Sohini Kar-Narayan
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, CB3 0FS Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Urszula Stachewicz
- Faculty
of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
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5
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Cho M. Aerodynamics and the role of the earth's electric field in the spiders' ballooning flight. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2021; 207:219-236. [PMID: 33712884 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01474-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Some spiders aerially disperse relying on their fine fibres. This behaviour has been known as 'ballooning'. Observations on the ballooning behaviour of spiders have a long history and have more recently received special attention, yet its underlying physics is still poorly understood. It was traditionally believed that spiders rely on the airflows by atmospheric thermal convection to do ballooning. However, a recent experiment showed that exposure to an electric field alone can induce spiders' pre-ballooning behaviours (tiptoe and dropping/dangling) and even pulls them upwards in the air. The controversy between explanations of ballooning by aerodynamic flow or the earth's electric field has long existed. The major obstacle in studying the physics of ballooning is the fact that airflow and electric field are both invisible and our naked eyes can hardly recognise the ballooning silk fibres of spiders. This review explores the theory and evidence for the physical mechanisms of spiders' ballooning connects them to the behavioural physiology of spiders for ballooning. Knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in future studies are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonsung Cho
- Animal Physiology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany. .,School of Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering, Korea Aerospace University, 76 Hanggongdaehang-ro, Goyang-si, 10540, Republic of Korea.
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Abstract
In soft robotics, bio-inspiration ranges from hard- to software. Orb web spiders provide excellent examples for both. Adapted sensors on their legs may use morphological computing to fine-tune feedback loops that supervise the handling and accurate placement of silk threads. The spider's webs embody the decision rules of a complex behaviour that relies on navigation and piloting laid down in silk by behaviour charting inherited rules. Analytical studies of real spiders allow the modelling of path-finding construction rules optimized in evolutionary algorithms. We propose that deconstructing spiders and unravelling webs may lead to adaptable robots able to invent and construct complex novel structures using relatively simple rules of thumb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3ZS, UK
| | - Thiemo Krink
- Department of Computer Science, Aarhus Universitet, Åbogade 34, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
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Lee Y, Song WJ, Jung Y, Yoo H, Kim MY, Kim HY, Sun JY. Ionic spiderwebs. Sci Robot 2020; 5:5/44/eaaz5405. [PMID: 33022609 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aaz5405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Spiders use adhesive, stretchable, and translucent webs to capture their prey. However, sustaining the capturing capability of these webs can be challenging because the webs inevitably invite contamination, thus reducing its adhesion force. To overcome these challenges, spiders have developed strategies of using webs to sense prey and clean contaminants. Here, we emulate the capturing strategies of a spider with a single pair of ionic threads based on electrostatics. Our ionic spiderwebs completed consecutive missions of cleaning contamination on itself, sensing approaching targets, capturing those targets, and releasing them. The ionic spiderwebs demonstrate the importance of learning from nature and push the boundaries of soft robotics in an attempt to combine mutually complementary functions into a single unit with a simple structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younghoon Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Won Jun Song
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Yeonsu Jung
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hyunjae Yoo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Man-Yong Kim
- Eumam Middle School, 147 Chilgeori-ro, Eumam-myeon, Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 31936, South Korea
| | - Ho-Young Kim
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
| | - Jeong-Yun Sun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea. .,Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Seoul National University 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
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8
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Rachwał M, Rybak J, Rogula-Kozłowska W. Magnetic susceptibility of spider webs as a proxy of airborne metal pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 234:543-551. [PMID: 29220786 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study was to test spider webs as a fast tool for magnetic biomonitoring of air pollution. The study involved the investigation of webs made by four types of spiders: Pholcus phalangioides (Pholcidae), Eratigena atrica and Agelena labirynthica (Agelenidae) and Linyphia triangularis (Linyphiidae). These webs were obtained from outdoor and indoor study sites. Compared to the clean reference webs, an increase was observed in the values of magnetic susceptibility in the webs sampled from both indoor and outdoor sites, which indicates contamination by anthropogenically produced pollution particles that contain ferrimagnetic iron minerals. This pilot study has demonstrated that spider webs are able to capture particulate matter in a manner that is equivalent to flora-based bioindicators applied to date (such as mosses, lichens, leaves). They also have additional advantages; for example, they can be generated in isolated clean habitats, and exposure can be monitored in indoor and outdoor locations, at any height and for any period of time. Moreover, webs are ubiquitous in an anthropogenic, heavily polluted environment, and they can be exposed throughout the year. As spider webs accumulate pollutants to which humans are exposed, they become a reliable source of information about the quality of the environment. Therefore, spider webs are recommended for magnetic biomonitoring of airborne pollution and for the assessment of the environment because they are non-destructive, low-cost, sensitive and efficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Rachwał
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, 34 Skłodowska-Curie St., 41-819, Zabrze, Poland.
| | - Justyna Rybak
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Protection, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Wioletta Rogula-Kozłowska
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, 34 Skłodowska-Curie St., 41-819, Zabrze, Poland; The Main School of Fire Service, Faculty of Fire Safety Engineering, 52/54 Słowackiego St., 01-629, Warsaw, Poland.
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9
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Joel AC, Baumgartner W. Nanofibre production in spiders without electric charge. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:2243-2249. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.157594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Technical nanofibre production is linked to high voltage, because they are typically produced by electrospinning. Spiders on the contrary have evolved a way to produce nanofibres without high voltage. These spiders are called cribellate spiders and produce nanofibres within their capture thread production. It is suggested that their nanofibres are frictionally charged when being brushed over a continuous area on the calamistrum, a comb-like structure at the metatarsus of the fourth leg. Although there are indications that electrostatic charges are involved in the formation of the threads structure, final proof is missing. We proposed three claims to validate this hypothesis: 1. The removal of any charge during or after thread production has an influence on the structure of the thread, 2. The characteristic structure of the thread can be regenerated by charging, and 3. The thread is attracted to, respectively repelled from differently charged objects. None of these three claims were proven true. Furthermore, mathematical calculations reveal that even at low charges, the calculated structural assembly of the thread does not match the observed reality. Electrostatic forces are therefore not involved in the production of cribellate capture threads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Christin Joel
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology II, Worringerweg 3, Germany
| | - Werner Baumgartner
- JKU Linz, Institute of Biomedical Mechatronics, Altenberger Straße 69, Austria
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10
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Soler A, Zaera R. The secondary frame in spider orb webs: the detail that makes the difference. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31265. [PMID: 27507613 PMCID: PMC4978998 DOI: 10.1038/srep31265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider orb webs are multifunctional structures, the main function of which is to dissipate the kinetic energy of the impacting prey, while minimizing structural damage. There is no single explanation for their remarkable strength and ductility. However, it is clear that topology is decisive in the structural performance upon impact, and the arrangement of the different silk threads in the web must also exert an effect. The aim of this study is to show how a slight variation in the geometry markedly affects the prey-capture ability of spider orb webs. The study is focused on the secondary frame, a thread interposed between radial and primary frame strands, the importance of which has not been examined until now. The simulation of the impact performance of webs using different lengths of the secondary frame clarifies its structural role, which has proven to be decisive. Furthermore, the study explains why secondary frame threads of moderate length, as commonly encountered, enable the capture of prey with higher energy without a marked increase in the volume of silk used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Soler
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Zaera
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain
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11
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Electric fields of flowers stimulate the sensory hairs of bumble bees. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:7020-1. [PMID: 27325771 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1607426113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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12
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Amador GJ, Hu DL. Cleanliness is next to godliness: mechanisms for staying clean. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3164-74. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.103937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Getting dirty is a fundamental problem, and one for which there are few solutions, especially across the enormous range of animal size. How do both a honeybee and a squirrel get clean? In this Review, we discuss two broad types of cleaning, considered from the viewpoint of energetics. Non-renewable cleaning strategies rely upon the organism as an energy source. Examples include grooming motions, wet-dog shaking or the secretion of chemicals. Renewable cleaning strategies depend on environmental sources of energy, such as the use of eyelashes to redirect incoming wind and so reduce deposition onto the eye. Both strategies take advantage of body hair to facilitate cleaning, and honeybees and squirrels, for example, each have around 3 million hairs. This hair mat increases the area on which particles can land by a factor of 100, but also suspends particles above the body, reducing their adhesion and facilitating removal. We hope that the strategies outlined here will inspire energy-efficient cleaning strategies in synthetic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo J. Amador
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, MRDC 2211, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - David L. Hu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, MRDC 2211, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 310 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Badger M, Ortega-Jimenez VM, von Rabenau L, Smiley A, Dudley R. Electrostatic Charge on Flying Hummingbirds and Its Potential Role in Pollination. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138003. [PMID: 26421845 PMCID: PMC4589311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrostatic phenomena are known to enhance both wind- and insect-mediated pollination, but have not yet been described for nectar-feeding vertebrates. Here we demonstrate that wild Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) can carry positive charges up to 800 pC while in flight (mean ± s.d.: 66 ± 129 pC). Triboelectric charging obtained by rubbing an isolated hummingbird wing against various plant structures generated charges up to 700 pC. A metal hummingbird model charged to 400 pC induced bending of floral stamens in four plants (Nicotiana, Hemerocallis, Penstemon, and Aloe spp.), and also attracted falling Lycopodium spores at distances of < 2 mm. Electrostatic forces may therefore influence pollen transfer onto nectar-feeding birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Badger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Victor Manuel Ortega-Jimenez
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lisa von Rabenau
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Ashley Smiley
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
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14
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Rybak J. Accumulation of Major and Trace Elements in Spider Webs. WATER, AIR, AND SOIL POLLUTION 2015; 226:105. [PMID: 25821258 PMCID: PMC4366562 DOI: 10.1007/s11270-015-2369-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The spider webs of Malthonica ferruginea (Panzer, 1804) from the Agelenidae family were used for the evaluation of heavy metal contamination, and major and trace elements presence in the air of Wrocław, Poland. The concentrations of 16 elements were determined (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, W, Pt, and Pb). Samples of webs were collected from six different locations with low, moderate, and high pollution level (urban of low and high traffic, residential, and postindustrial sites) after 60 days of exposure. Samples collected from high traffic sites and postindustrial site were found to have high contents of elements than residential sites and one of low traffic urban site. The principle component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis provide important information about the potential sources of the elements in spider webs. Two contamination sources were identified: road traffic emissions and industrial. This was a first-time ever attempt to use webs for biomonitoring of small-scale distribution of airborne major and trace elements in the city of Wrocław.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Rybak
- Department of Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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15
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16
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Electrostatic charges instigate ‘concertina-like’ mechanisms of molecular toughening in MaSp1 (spider silk) proteins. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2014; 41:329-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2014.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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17
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Rybak J, Olejniczak T. Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the spider webs in the vicinity of road traffic emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:2313-2324. [PMID: 24057980 PMCID: PMC3906546 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2092-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Studies focused on the possible use of spider webs as environmental pollution indicators. This was a first time ever attempt to use webs as indicators of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution. The aim of the study was (a) to evaluate whether webs are able to accumulate PM-associated road traffic emissions and be analyzed for organic toxics such as PAHs, (b) to assess if the distance from emission sources could have an influence on the accumulation level of pollutants, and (c) to determine types of pollution sources responsible for a structure of monitoring data set. Webs of four species from the family Agelenidae were sampled for PAHs presence. Data from vehicle traffic sites (i.e., road tunnel, arterial surface road, underground parking) and from railway traffic sites (i.e., two railway viaducts) in the city of Wroclaw (Southwest of Poland) showed a significantly higher mean concentrations of PAHs than the reference site 1 (municipal water supply works). We also found a significant differences at sites differed by the distance from emission sources. The result of PCA analysis suggested three important sources of pollution. We conclude that spider webs despite of some limitations proved useful indicators of road traffic emissions; they could be even more reliable compared to use of bioindicators whose activity is often limited by a lack of water and sun.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Rybak
- Department of Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Teresa Olejniczak
- Chemistry Department, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, C.K. Norwida 25/27, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
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Vollrath F, Edmonds D. Consequences of electrical conductivity in an orb spider's capture web. Naturwissenschaften 2013; 100:1163-9. [PMID: 24323174 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-013-1120-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The glue-coated and wet capture spiral of the orb web of the garden cross spider Araneus diadematus is suspended between the dry silk radial and web frame threads. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that the capture spiral is electrically conductive because of necks of liquid connecting the droplets even if the thread is stretched. We examine how this conductivity of the capture spiral may lead to entrapment of charged airborne particles such as pollen, spray droplets and even insects. We further describe and model how the conducting spiral will also locally distort the Earth's ambient electric field. Finally, we examine the hypothesis that such distortion could be used by potential prey to detect the presence of a web but conclude that any effect would probably be too small to allow an insect to take evasive action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford, OXI 3PS, UK,
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