1
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Guessous G, Blake L, Bui A, Woo Y, Manzanarez G. Disentangling the Web: An Interdisciplinary Review on the Potential and Feasibility of Spider Silk Bioproduction. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:5412-5438. [PMID: 39136701 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
The remarkable material properties of spider silk, such as its high toughness and tensile strength combined with its low density, make it a highly sought-after material with myriad applications. In addition, the biological nature of spider silk makes it a promising, potentially sustainable alternative to many toxic or petrochemical-derived materials. Therefore, interest in the heterologous production of spider silk proteins has greatly increased over the past few decades, making recombinant spider silk an important frontier in biomanufacturing. This has resulted in a diversity of potential host organisms, a large space for sequence design, and a variety of downstream processing techniques and product applications for spider silk production. Here, we highlight advances in each of these technical aspects as well as white spaces therein, still ripe for further investigation and discovery. Additionally, industry landscaping, patent analyses, and interviews with Key Opinion Leaders help define both the research and industry landscapes. In particular, we found that though textiles dominated the early products proposed by companies, the versatile nature of spider silk has opened up possibilities in other industries, such as high-performance materials in automotive applications or biomedical therapies. While continuing enthusiasm has imbued scientists and investors alike, many technical and business considerations still remain unsolved before spider silk can be democratized as a high-performance product. We provide insights and strategies for overcoming these initial hurdles, and we highlight the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and policy makers. Linking technical considerations to business and market entry strategies highlights the importance of a holistic approach for the effective scale-up and commercial viability of spider silk bioproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghita Guessous
- Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92092, United States
- Research Initiative, Nucleate, 88 Gordon Street #401, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, United States
| | - Lauren Blake
- Research Initiative, Nucleate, 88 Gordon Street #401, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Anthony Bui
- Research Initiative, Nucleate, 88 Gordon Street #401, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - Yelim Woo
- Research Initiative, Nucleate, 88 Gordon Street #401, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, United States
- Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Gabriel Manzanarez
- Research Initiative, Nucleate, 88 Gordon Street #401, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, United States
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92092, United States
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2
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Li J, Yang GZ, Li X, Tan HL, Wong ZW, Jiang S, Yang D. Nanoassembly of spider silk protein mediated by intrinsically disordered regions. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132438. [PMID: 38761906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Spider silk is the self-assembling product of silk proteins each containing multiple repeating units. Each repeating unit is entirely intrinsically disordered or contains a small disordered domain. The role of the disordered domain/unit in conferring silk protein storage and self-assembly is not fully understood yet. Here, we used biophysical and biochemical techniques to investigate the self-assembly of a miniature version of a minor ampullate spidroin (denoted as miniMiSp). miniMiSp consists of two identical intrinsically disordered domains, one folded repetitive domain, and two folded terminal domains. Our data indicated that miniMiSp self-assembles into oligomers and further into liquid droplets. The oligomerization is attributed to the aggregation-prone property of both the disordered domains and the folded repetitive domain. Our results support the model of micellar structure for silk proteins at high protein concentrations. The disordered domain is indispensable for liquid droplet formation via liquid-liquid phase separation, and tyrosine residues located in the disordered domain make dominant contributions to stability of the liquid droplets. As the same tyrosine residues are also critical to fibrillation, the liquid droplets are likely an intermediate state between the solution state and the fiber state. Additionally, the terminal domains contribute to the pH- and salt-dependent self-assembly properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Gabriel Z Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Hao Lei Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Zhi Wei Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Shimin Jiang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Daiwen Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
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3
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Hu CF, Gan CY, Zhu YJ, Xia XX, Qian ZG. Modulating Polyalanine Motifs of Synthetic Spidroin for Controllable Preassembly and Strong Fiber Formation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:2925-2934. [PMID: 38587986 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Spider dragline (major ampullate) silk is one of the toughest known fibers in nature and exhibits an excellent combination of high tensile strength and elasticity. Increasing evidence has indicated that preassembly plays a crucial role in facilitating the proper assembly of silk fibers by bridging the mesoscale gap between spidroin molecules and the final strong fibers. However, it remains challenging to control the preassembly of spidroins and investigate its influence on fiber structural and mechanical properties. In this study, we explored to bridge this gap by modulating the polyalanine (polyA) motifs in repetitive region of spidroins to tune their preassemblies in aqueous dope solutions. Three biomimetic silk proteins with varying numbers of alanine residues in polyA motif and comparable molecular weights were designed and biosynthesized, termed as N16C-5A, N15C-8A, and N13C-12A, respectively. It was found that all three proteins could form nanofibril assemblies in the concentrated aqueous dopes, but the size and structural stability of the fibrils were distinct from each other. The silk protein N15C-8A with 8 alanine residues in polyA motif allowed for the formation of stable nanofibril assemblies with a length of approximately 200 nm, which were not prone to disassemble or aggregate as that of N16C-5A and N13C-12A. More interestingly, the stable fibril assembly of N15C-8A enabled spinning of simultaneously strong (623.3 MPa) and tough (107.1 MJ m-3) synthetic fibers with fine molecular orientation and close interface packing of fibril bundles. This work highlights that modulation of polyA motifs is a feasible way to tune the morphology and stability of the spidroin preassemblies in dope solutions, thus controlling the structural and mechanical properties of the resulting fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Fei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao-Yi Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Jiao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Xia Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Gang Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
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4
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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.
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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
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5
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Song K, Wang Y, Dong W, Li Z, Xia Q, Zhu P, He H. Decoding silkworm spinning programmed by pH and metal ions. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:792-802. [PMID: 38245448 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Silk is one of the toughest fibrous materials known despite spun at ambient temperature and pressure with water as a solvent. It is a great challenge to reproduce high-performance artificial fibers comparable to natural silk by bionic for the incomplete understanding of silkworm spinning in vivo. Here, we found that amphipol and digitonin stabilized the structure of natural silk fibroin (NSF) by a large-scale screening in vitro, and then studied the close-to-native ultrastructure and hierarchical assembly of NSF in the silk gland lumen. Our study showed that NSF formed reversible flexible nanofibrils mainly composed of random coils with a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8 S and a diameter of about 4 nm, rather than a micellar or rod-like structure assembled by the aggregation of globular NSF molecules. Metal ions were required for NSF nanofibril formation. The successive pH decrease from posterior silk gland (PSG) to anterior silk gland (ASG) resulted in a gradual increase in NSF hydrophobicity, thus inducing the sol-gelation transition of NSF nanofibrils. NSF nanofibrils were randomly dispersed from PSG to ASG-1, and self-assembled into anisotropic herringbone patterns at ASG-2 near the spinneret ready for silkworm spinning. Our findings reveal the controlled self-assembly mechanism of the multi-scale hierarchical architecture of NSF from nanofibrils to herringbone patterns programmed by metal ions and pH gradient, which provides novel insights into the spinning mechanism of silk-secreting animals and bioinspired design of high-performance fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Song
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yejing Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wenjie Dong
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Ping Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Huawei He
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, Chongqing 400715, China.
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6
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Chen J, Tsuchida A, Malay AD, Tsuchiya K, Masunaga H, Tsuji Y, Kuzumoto M, Urayama K, Shintaku H, Numata K. Replicating shear-mediated self-assembly of spider silk through microfluidics. Nat Commun 2024; 15:527. [PMID: 38225234 PMCID: PMC10789810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of artificial spider silk with properties similar to native silk has been a challenging task in materials science. In this study, we use a microfluidic device to create continuous fibers based on recombinant MaSp2 spidroin. The strategy incorporates ion-induced liquid-liquid phase separation, pH-driven fibrillation, and shear-dependent induction of β-sheet formation. We find that a threshold shear stress of approximately 72 Pa is required for fiber formation, and that β-sheet formation is dependent on the presence of polyalanine blocks in the repetitive sequence. The MaSp2 fiber formed has a β-sheet content (29.2%) comparable to that of native dragline with a shear stress requirement of 111 Pa. Interestingly, the polyalanine blocks have limited influence on the occurrence of liquid-liquid phase separation and hierarchical structure. These results offer insights into the shear-induced crystallization and sequence-structure relationship of spider silk and have significant implications for the rational design of artificially spun fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Chen
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Arata Tsuchida
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Ali D Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kousuke Tsuchiya
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Masunaga
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - Yui Tsuji
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Mako Kuzumoto
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Kenji Urayama
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Shintaku
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan.
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-0017, Japan.
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Herrera-Rodríguez AM, Dasanna AK, Daday C, Cruz-Chú ER, Aponte-Santamaría C, Schwarz US, Gräter F. The role of flow in the self-assembly of dragline spider silk proteins. Biophys J 2023; 122:4241-4253. [PMID: 37803828 PMCID: PMC10645567 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrodynamic flow in the spider duct induces conformational changes in dragline spider silk proteins (spidroins) and drives their assembly, but the underlying physical mechanisms are still elusive. Here we address this challenging multiscale problem with a complementary strategy of atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with uniform flow. The conformational changes at the molecular level were analyzed for single-tethered spider silk peptides. Uniform flow leads to coiled-to-stretch transitions and pushes alanine residues into β sheet and poly-proline II conformations. Coarse-grained simulations of the assembly process of multiple semi-flexible block copolymers using multi-particle collision dynamics reveal that the spidroins aggregate faster but into low-order assemblies when they are less extended. At medium-to-large peptide extensions (50%-80%), assembly slows down and becomes reversible with frequent association and dissociation events, whereas spidroin alignment increases and alanine repeats form ordered regions. Our work highlights the role of flow in guiding silk self-assembly into tough fibers by enhancing alignment and kinetic reversibility, a mechanism likely relevant also for other proteins whose function depends on hydrodynamic flow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anil Kumar Dasanna
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Csaba Daday
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eduardo R Cruz-Chú
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Ulrich S Schwarz
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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8
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Perera D, Li L, Walsh C, Silliman J, Xiong Y, Wang Q, Schniepp HC. Natural spider silk nanofibrils produced by assembling molecules or disassembling fibers. Acta Biomater 2023; 168:323-332. [PMID: 37414111 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk is biocompatible, biodegradable, and rivals some of the best synthetic materials in terms of strength and toughness. Despite extensive research, comprehensive experimental evidence of the formation and morphology of its internal structure is still limited and controversially discussed. Here, we report the complete mechanical decomposition of natural silk fibers from the golden silk orb-weaver Trichonephila clavipes into ≈10 nm-diameter nanofibrils, the material's apparent fundamental building blocks. Furthermore, we produced nanofibrils of virtually identical morphology by triggering an intrinsic self-assembly mechanism of the silk proteins. Independent physico-chemical fibrillation triggers were revealed, enabling fiber assembly from stored precursors "at-will". This knowledge furthers the understanding of this exceptional material's fundamentals, and ultimately, leads toward the realization of silk-based high-performance materials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Spider silk is one of the strongest and toughest biomaterials, rivaling the best man-made materials. The origins of these traits are still under debate but are mostly attributed to the material's intriguing hierarchical structure. Here we fully disassembled spider silk into 10 nm-diameter nanofibrils for the first time and showed that nanofibrils of the same appearance can be produced via molecular self-assembly of spider silk proteins under certain conditions. This shows that nanofibrils are the key structural elements in silk and leads toward the production of high-performance future materials inspired by spider silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinidu Perera
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Linxuan Li
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Chloe Walsh
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Jacob Silliman
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Yawei Xiong
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Qijue Wang
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
| | - Hannes C Schniepp
- Applied Science Department, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA.
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9
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Trossmann VT, Lentz S, Scheibel T. Factors Influencing Properties of Spider Silk Coatings and Their Interactions within a Biological Environment. J Funct Biomater 2023; 14:434. [PMID: 37623678 PMCID: PMC10455157 DOI: 10.3390/jfb14080434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomaterials are an indispensable part of biomedical research. However, although many materials display suitable application-specific properties, they provide only poor biocompatibility when implanted into a human/animal body leading to inflammation and rejection reactions. Coatings made of spider silk proteins are promising alternatives for various applications since they are biocompatible, non-toxic and anti-inflammatory. Nevertheless, the biological response toward a spider silk coating cannot be generalized. The properties of spider silk coatings are influenced by many factors, including silk source, solvent, the substrate to be coated, pre- and post-treatments and the processing technique. All these factors consequently affect the biological response of the environment and the putative application of the appropriate silk coating. Here, we summarize recently identified factors to be considered before spider silk processing as well as physicochemical characterization methods. Furthermore, we highlight important results of biological evaluations to emphasize the importance of adjustability and adaption to a specific application. Finally, we provide an experimental matrix of parameters to be considered for a specific application and a guided biological response as exemplarily tested with two different fibroblast cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa T. Trossmann
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Sarah Lentz
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
- Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces (BZKG), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Center for Molecular Biosciences (BZMB), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Materials Center (BayMAT), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
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10
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Liu C, Song Y, Hu T, Wang S, Yi K, Wang J, Yan Q, Wei L, Zhang Z, Li H, Luo Y, Wu L, Zhang D, Meng E. Adenylate Kinase Fused to Spidroin as a Catalyst for Decreasing Leakage out of 3D-Bioprinted Hydrogels and for ATP Regeneration. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1662-1674. [PMID: 36913719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Numerous metabolic reactions and pathways use adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source and as a phosphorous or pyrophosphorous donor. Based on three-dimensional (3D)-printing, enzyme immobilization can be used to improve ATP regeneration and operability and reduce cost. However, due to the relatively large mesh size of 3D-bioprinted hydrogels soaked in a reaction solution, the lower-molecular-weight enzymes cannot avoid leaking out of the hydrogels readily. Here, a chimeric adenylate-kinase-spidroin (ADK-RC) is created, with ADK serving as the N-terminal domain. The chimera is capable of self-assembling to form micellar nanoparticles at a higher molecular scale. Although fused to spidroin (RC), ADK-RC remains relatively consistent and exhibits high activity, thermostability, pH stability, and organic solvent tolerance. Considering different surface-to-volume ratios, three shapes of enzyme hydrogels are designed, 3D bioprinted, and measured. In addition, a continuous enzymatic reaction demonstrates that ADK-RC hydrogels have higher specific activity and substrate affinity but a lower reaction rate and catalytic power compared to free enzymes in solution. With ATP regeneration, the ADK and ADK-RC hydrogels significantly increase the production of d-glucose-6-phosphate and obtain an efficient usage frequency. In conclusion, enzymes fused to spidroin might be an efficient strategy for maintaining activity and reducing leakage in 3D-bioprinted hydrogels under mild conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Liu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Yanmin Song
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Tianhao Hu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Shan Wang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Ke Yi
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Jianjie Wang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Qing Yan
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Li'an Wei
- Changsha Sanjiang Smart Technology Co., Ltd., Changsha 410026, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Zheyang Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Huimin Li
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Yutao Luo
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Lei Wu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Dongyi Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Er Meng
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Multiple Utilization of Economic Crops in Hunan Province, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Ecological Remediation and Safe Utilization of Heavy Metal-Polluted Soils, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
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11
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Stengel D, Saric M, Johnson HR, Schiller T, Diehl J, Chalek K, Onofrei D, Scheibel T, Holland GP. Tyrosine's Unique Role in the Hierarchical Assembly of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins: From Spinning Dope to Fibers. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1463-1474. [PMID: 36791420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Producing recombinant spider silk fibers that exhibit mechanical properties approaching native spider silk is highly dependent on the constitution of the spinning dope. Previously published work has shown that recombinant spider silk fibers spun from dopes with phosphate-induced pre-assembly (biomimetic dopes) display a toughness approaching native spider silks far exceeding the mechanical properties of fibers spun from dopes without pre-assembly (classical dopes). Dynamic light scattering experiments comparing the two dopes reveal that biomimetic dope displays a systematic increase in assembly size over time, while light microscopy indicates liquid-liquid-phase separation (LLPS) as evidenced by the formation of micron-scale liquid droplets. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shows that the structural state in classical and biomimetic dopes displays a general random coil conformation in both cases; however, some subtle but distinct differences are observed, including a more ordered state for the biomimetic dope and small chemical shift perturbations indicating differences in hydrogen bonding of the protein in the different dopes with notable changes occurring for Tyr residues. Solid-state NMR demonstrates that the final wet-spun fibers from the two dopes display no structural differences of the poly(Ala) stretches, but biomimetic fibers display a significant difference in Tyr ring packing in non-β-sheet, disordered helical domains that can be traced back to differences in dope preparations. It is concluded that phosphate pre-orders the recombinant silk protein in biomimetic dopes resulting in LLPS and fibers that exhibit vastly improved toughness that could be due to aromatic ring packing differences in non-β-sheet domains that contain Tyr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillan Stengel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Merisa Saric
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Hannah R Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Tim Schiller
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Johannes Diehl
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Kevin Chalek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - David Onofrei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Street 1, Bayreuth 95447, Germany
| | - Gregory P Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
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12
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Rising A, Harrington MJ. Biological Materials Processing: Time-Tested Tricks for Sustainable Fiber Fabrication. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2155-2199. [PMID: 36508546 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to improve the sustainability of the materials we produce and use. Here, we explore what humans can learn from nature about how to sustainably fabricate polymeric fibers with excellent material properties by reviewing the physical and chemical aspects of materials processing distilled from diverse model systems, including spider silk, mussel byssus, velvet worm slime, hagfish slime, and mistletoe viscin. We identify common and divergent strategies, highlighting the potential for bioinspired design and technology transfer. Despite the diversity of the biopolymeric fibers surveyed, we identify several common strategies across multiple systems, including: (1) use of stimuli-responsive biomolecular building blocks, (2) use of concentrated fluid precursor phases (e.g., coacervates and liquid crystals) stored under controlled chemical conditions, and (3) use of chemical (pH, salt concentration, redox chemistry) and physical (mechanical shear, extensional flow) stimuli to trigger the transition from fluid precursor to solid material. Importantly, because these materials largely form and function outside of the body of the organisms, these principles can more easily be transferred for bioinspired design in synthetic systems. We end the review by discussing ongoing efforts and challenges to mimic biological model systems, with a particular focus on artificial spider silks and mussel-inspired materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rising
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge 141 52, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
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13
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Goswami A, Devi D. Structural insight on the liquid silk from the middle silk gland of non-mulberry silkworm Antheraea assamensis. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:1128-1139. [PMID: 34939896 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2017347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study highlights the preliminary characterization of liquid silk from the middle silk gland (MSG) along with the in-silico analysis of the sericin protein of a less explored non mulberry silkworm Antheraea assamensis which is endemic to the North Eastern region of India. Various biophysical methods have been applied to elucidate the conformational patterns of the liquid silk present inside the MSG without removing the sericin layer. This will help us to know the actual features of the in vivo transitional status of the silk in the MSG which travel towards the anterior silk gland (ASG) prior to spinning. The SDS PAGE analysis represented the existence of the both fibroin and sericin bands in the sample. The structural pattern of the MSG liquid silk as revealed by various methods denoted the occurrence of β-sheet component along with some random coil and β-turn components which in turn suggests the transitional state of the liquid silk attributed to the existence of both the crystalline and amorphous contents. The thermo gravimetric study and the aggregation behavior analysis results proposed the occurrence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the sericin and fibroin in the MSG. This study will sensitize the better understanding of the behavior of the liquid silk in the MSG of non-mulberry silkworm A. assamensis and will open avenues for various application-based studies of this silk.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anurupa Goswami
- Seribiotech Laboratory, Life Science Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Assam, India
| | - Dipali Devi
- Seribiotech Laboratory, Life Science Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Assam, India
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14
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Eliaz D, Paul S, Benyamin D, Cernescu A, Cohen SR, Rosenhek-Goldian I, Brookstein O, Miali ME, Solomonov A, Greenblatt M, Levy Y, Raviv U, Barth A, Shimanovich U. Micro and nano-scale compartments guide the structural transition of silk protein monomers into silk fibers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7856. [PMID: 36543800 PMCID: PMC9772184 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35505-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk is a unique, remarkably strong biomaterial made of simple protein building blocks. To date, no synthetic method has come close to reproducing the properties of natural silk, due to the complexity and insufficient understanding of the mechanism of the silk fiber formation. Here, we use a combination of bulk analytical techniques and nanoscale analytical methods, including nano-infrared spectroscopy coupled with atomic force microscopy, to probe the structural characteristics directly, transitions, and evolution of the associated mechanical properties of silk protein species corresponding to the supramolecular phase states inside the silkworm's silk gland. We found that the key step in silk-fiber production is the formation of nanoscale compartments that guide the structural transition of proteins from their native fold into crystalline β-sheets. Remarkably, this process is reversible. Such reversibility enables the remodeling of the final mechanical characteristics of silk materials. These results open a new route for tailoring silk processing for a wide range of new material formats by controlling the structural transitions and self-assembly of the silk protein's supramolecular phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Eliaz
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - S. Paul
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D. Benyamin
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - A. Cernescu
- grid.431971.9Neaspec—Attocube Systems AG, Eglfinger Weg 2, Haar, 85540 Munich Germany
| | - S. R. Cohen
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Re-hovot, Israel
| | - I. Rosenhek-Goldian
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Re-hovot, Israel
| | - O. Brookstein
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - M. E. Miali
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - A. Solomonov
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - M. Greenblatt
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Y. Levy
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - U. Raviv
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - A. Barth
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - U. Shimanovich
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
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15
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Arndt T, Jaudzems K, Shilkova O, Francis J, Johansson M, Laity PR, Sahin C, Chatterjee U, Kronqvist N, Barajas-Ledesma E, Kumar R, Chen G, Strömberg R, Abelein A, Langton M, Landreh M, Barth A, Holland C, Johansson J, Rising A. Spidroin N-terminal domain forms amyloid-like fibril based hydrogels and provides a protein immobilization platform. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4695. [PMID: 35970823 PMCID: PMC9378615 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32093-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) have multiple potential applications in development of novel biomaterials, but their multimodal and aggregation-prone nature have complicated production and straightforward applications. Here, we report that recombinant miniature spidroins, and importantly also the N-terminal domain (NT) on its own, rapidly form self-supporting and transparent hydrogels at 37 °C. The gelation is caused by NT α-helix to β-sheet conversion and formation of amyloid-like fibrils, and fusion proteins composed of NT and green fluorescent protein or purine nucleoside phosphorylase form hydrogels with intact functions of the fusion moieties. Our findings demonstrate that recombinant NT and fusion proteins give high expression yields and bestow attractive properties to hydrogels, e.g., transparency, cross-linker free gelation and straightforward immobilization of active proteins at high density. Recombinant spider silks are of interest but the multimodal and aggregation-prone nature of them is a limitation. Here, the authors report on a miniature spidroin based on the N-terminal domain which forms a hydrogel at 37 °C which allows for ease of production and fusion protein modification to generate functional biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Arndt
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Kristaps Jaudzems
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, LV-1006, Latvia
| | - Olga Shilkova
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Juanita Francis
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Mathias Johansson
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden, Box 7015
| | - Peter R Laity
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Cagla Sahin
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65, Solna, Sweden
| | - Urmimala Chatterjee
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Nina Kronqvist
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Edgar Barajas-Ledesma
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65, Solna, Sweden
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Gefei Chen
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Axel Abelein
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Maud Langton
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden, Box 7015
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65, Solna, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, The Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden
| | - Anna Rising
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Blickagången 16, Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden. .,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden.
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16
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Abstract
![]()
The tiny spider makes
dragline silk fibers with unbeatable toughness,
all under the most innocuous conditions. Scientists have persistently
tried to emulate its natural silk spinning process using recombinant
proteins with a view toward creating a new wave of smart materials,
yet most efforts have fallen short of attaining the native fiber’s
excellent mechanical properties. One reason for these shortcomings
may be that artificial spider silk systems tend to be overly simplified
and may not sufficiently take into account the true complexity of
the underlying protein sequences and of the multidimensional aspects
of the natural self-assembly process that give rise to the hierarchically
structured fibers. Here, we discuss recent findings regarding the
material constituents of spider dragline silk, including novel spidroin
subtypes, nonspidroin proteins, and possible involvement of post-translational
modifications, which together suggest a complexity that transcends
the two-component MaSp1/MaSp2 system. We subsequently consider insights
into the spidroin domain functions, structures, and overall mechanisms
for the rapid transition from disordered soluble protein into a highly
organized fiber, including the possibility of viewing spider silk
self-assembly through a framework relevant to biomolecular condensates.
Finally, we consider the concept of “biomimetics” as
it applies to artificial spider silk production with a focus on key
practical aspects of design and evaluation that may hopefully inform
efforts to more closely reproduce the remarkable structure and function
of the native silk fiber using artificial methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali D Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hamish C Craig
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Jianming Chen
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Nur Alia Oktaviani
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
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17
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Kronqvist N, Rising A, Johansson J. A Novel Approach for the Production of Aggregation-Prone Proteins Using the Spidroin-Derived NT* Tag. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2406:113-130. [PMID: 35089553 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1859-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Spiders have evolved proteins that can be kept in a highly concentrated soluble form in the silk gland yet rapidly assemble into stable silk fibers under certain environmental conditions. The transition between soluble and fibrillar states is partly regulated by the pH-sensitive N-terminal (NT) domain which has emerged as nature's own solubility-enhancing domain. NT has an inherent capacity to keep the silk proteins' partly hydrophobic and very aggregation-prone regions from premature fibrillation in spite of storage at enormous concentrations. The genetically engineered double-mutant NT* shows increased solubility and stability and has arisen as a powerful tool for the production of aggregation-prone as well as other recombinant proteins. Here we describe a robust and highly efficient protocol for improved soluble expression of peptides and proteins by fusion to the NT* tag.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Kronqvist
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division for Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Anna Rising
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division for Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division for Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
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18
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Secondary structure of peptides mimicking the Gly-rich regions of major ampullate spidroin protein 1 and 2. Biophys Chem 2022; 284:106783. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2022.106783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Rodriguez-Cabello JC, Gonzalez De Torre I, González-Pérez M, González-Pérez F, Montequi I. Fibrous Scaffolds From Elastin-Based Materials. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:652384. [PMID: 34336798 PMCID: PMC8323661 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.652384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Current cutting-edge strategies in biomaterials science are focused on mimicking the design of natural systems which, over millions of years, have evolved to exhibit extraordinary properties. Based on this premise, one of the most challenging tasks is to imitate the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), due to its ubiquitous character and its crucial role in tissue integrity. The anisotropic fibrillar architecture of the ECM has been reported to have a significant influence on cell behaviour and function. A new paradigm that pivots around the idea of incorporating biomechanical and biomolecular cues into the design of biomaterials and systems for biomedical applications has emerged in recent years. Indeed, current trends in materials science address the development of innovative biomaterials that include the dynamics, biochemistry and structural features of the native ECM. In this context, one of the most actively studied biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications are nanofiber-based scaffolds. Herein we provide a broad overview of the current status, challenges, manufacturing methods and applications of nanofibers based on elastin-based materials. Starting from an introduction to elastin as an inspiring fibrous protein, as well as to the natural and synthetic elastin-based biomaterials employed to meet the challenge of developing ECM-mimicking nanofibrous-based scaffolds, this review will follow with a description of the leading strategies currently employed in nanofibrous systems production, which in the case of elastin-based materials are mainly focused on supramolecular self-assembly mechanisms and the use of advanced manufacturing technologies. Thus, we will explore the tendency of elastin-based materials to form intrinsic fibers, and the self-assembly mechanisms involved. We will describe the function and self-assembly mechanisms of silk-like motifs, antimicrobial peptides and leucine zippers when incorporated into the backbone of the elastin-based biomaterial. Advanced polymer-processing technologies, such as electrospinning and additive manufacturing, as well as their specific features, will be presented and reviewed for the specific case of elastin-based nanofiber manufacture. Finally, we will present our perspectives and outlook on the current challenges facing the development of nanofibrous ECM-mimicking scaffolds based on elastin and elastin-like biomaterials, as well as future trends in nanofabrication and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Carlos Rodriguez-Cabello
- BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Israel Gonzalez De Torre
- BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel González-Pérez
- BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Pérez
- BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Montequi
- BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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20
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Hu CF, Qian ZG, Peng Q, Zhang Y, Xia XX. Unconventional Spidroin Assemblies in Aqueous Dope for Spinning into Tough Synthetic Fibers. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:3608-3617. [PMID: 34259496 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Spider dragline silk is a remarkable fiber made by spiders from an aqueous solution of spidroins, and this feat is largely attributed to the tripartite domain architecture of the silk proteins leading to the hierarchical assembly at the nano- and microscales. Although individual amino- and carboxy-terminal domains have been proposed to relate to silk protein assembly, their tentative synergizing roles in recombinant spidroin storage and spinning into synthetic fibers remain elusive. Here, we show biosynthesis and self-assembly of a mimic spidroin composed of amino- and carboxy-terminal domains bracketing 16 consensus repeats of the core region from spider Trichonephila clavipes. The presence of both termini was found essential for self-assembly of the mimic spidroin termed N16C into fibril-like (rather than canonical micellar) nanostructures in concentrated aqueous dope and ordered alignment of these nanofibrils upon extrusion into an acidic coagulation bath. This ultimately led to continuous, macroscopic fibers with a tensile fracture toughness of 100.9 ± 13.2 MJ m-3, which is comparable to that of their natural counterparts. We also found that the recombinant proteins lacking one or both termini were unable to similarly preassemble into fibrillar nanostructures in dopes and thus yielded inferior fiber properties. This work thereby highlights the synergizing role of terminal domains in the storage and processing of recombinant analogues into tough synthetic fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Fei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Gang Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingfa Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaopeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibres and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Xia Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
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21
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Onofrei D, Stengel D, Jia D, Johnson HR, Trescott S, Soni A, Addison B, Muthukumar M, Holland GP. Investigating the Atomic and Mesoscale Interactions that Facilitate Spider Silk Protein Pre-Assembly. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:3377-3385. [PMID: 34251190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Black widow spider dragline silk is one of nature's high-performance biological polymers, exceeding the strength and toughness of most man-made materials including high tensile steel and Kevlar. Major ampullate (Ma), or dragline silk, is primarily comprised of two spidroin proteins (Sp) stored within the Ma gland. In the native gland environment, the MaSp1 and MaSp2 proteins self-associate to form hierarchical 200-300 nm superstructures despite being intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Here, dynamic light scattering (DLS), three-dimensional (3D) triple resonance solution NMR, and diffusion NMR is utilized to probe the MaSp size, molecular structure, and dynamics of these protein pre-assemblies diluted in 4 M urea and identify specific regions of the proteins important for silk protein pre-assembly. 3D NMR indicates that the Gly-Ala-Ala and Ala-Ala-Gly motifs flanking the poly(Ala) runs, which comprise the β-sheet forming domains in fibers, are perturbed by urea, suggesting that these regions may be important for silk protein pre-assembly stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Onofrei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Dillan Stengel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Di Jia
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Hannah R Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Samantha Trescott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Ashana Soni
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Bennett Addison
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
| | - Murugappan Muthukumar
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Gregory P Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-1030, United States
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22
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Wan Q, Yang M, Hu J, Lei F, Shuai Y, Wang J, Holland C, Rodenburg C, Yang M. Mesoscale structure development reveals when a silkworm silk is spun. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3711. [PMID: 34140492 PMCID: PMC8211695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23960-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk fibre mechanical properties are attributed to the development of a multi-scale hierarchical structure during spinning. By careful ex vivo processing of a B. mori silkworm silk solution we arrest the spinning process, freezing-in mesoscale structures corresponding to three distinctive structure development stages; gelation, fibrilization and the consolidation phase identified in this work, a process highlighted by the emergence and extinction of 'water pockets'. These transient water pockets are a manifestation of the interplay between protein dehydration, phase separation and nanofibril assembly, with their removal due to nanofibril coalescence during consolidation. We modeled and validated how post-draw improves mechanical properties and refines a silk's hierarchical structure as a result of consolidation. These insights enable a better understanding of the sequence of events that occur during spinning, ultimately leading us to propose a robust definition of when a silkworm silk is actually 'spun'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wan
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mei Yang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Hu
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang Lei
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yajun Shuai
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Wang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Mingying Yang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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23
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Shen Y, Levin A, Kamada A, Toprakcioglu Z, Rodriguez-Garcia M, Xu Y, Knowles TPJ. From Protein Building Blocks to Functional Materials. ACS NANO 2021; 15:5819-5837. [PMID: 33760579 PMCID: PMC8155333 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c08510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Proteins are the fundamental building blocks for high-performance materials in nature. Such materials fulfill structural roles, as in the case of silk and collagen, and can generate active structures including the cytoskeleton. Attention is increasingly turning to this versatile class of molecules for the synthesis of next-generation green functional materials for a range of applications. Protein nanofibrils are a fundamental supramolecular unit from which many macroscopic protein materials are formed. In this Review, we focus on the multiscale assembly of such protein nanofibrils formed from naturally occurring proteins into new supramolecular architectures and discuss how they can form the basis of material systems ranging from bulk gels, films, fibers, micro/nanogels, condensates, and active materials. We review current and emerging approaches to process and assemble these building blocks in a manner which is different to their natural evolutionarily selected role but allows the generation of tailored functionality, with a focus on microfluidic approaches. We finally discuss opportunities and challenges for this class of materials, including applications that can be involved in this material system which consists of fully natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable feedstocks yet has the potential to generate materials with performance and versatility rivalling that of the best synthetic polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shen
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, 2006 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aviad Levin
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Ayaka Kamada
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Zenon Toprakcioglu
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Marc Rodriguez-Garcia
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Xampla, the BioInnovation Building, 25 Cambridge
Science Park Road, Cambridge CB4 0FW, U.K.
| | - Yufan Xu
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
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24
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Saric M, Eisoldt L, Döring V, Scheibel T. Interplay of Different Major Ampullate Spidroins during Assembly and Implications for Fiber Mechanics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2006499. [PMID: 33496360 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202006499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Major ampullate (MA) spider silk has fascinating mechanical properties combining strength and elasticity. All known natural MA silks contain at least two or more different spidroins; however, it is unknown why and if there is any interplay in the spinning dope. Here, two different spidroins from Araneus diadematus are co-produced in Escherichia coli to study the possible dimerization and effects thereof on the mechanical properties of fibers. During the production of the two spidroins, a mixture of homo- and heterodimers is formed triggered by the carboxyl-terminal domains. Interestingly, homodimeric species of the individual spidroins self-assemble differently in comparison to heterodimers, and stoichiometric mixtures of homo- and heterodimers yield spidroin networks upon assembly with huge impact on fiber mechanics upon spinning. The obtained results provide the basis for man-made tuning of spinning dopes to yield high-performance fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merisa Saric
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany
| | - Lukas Eisoldt
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany
| | - Volker Döring
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Lehrstuhl Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Prof-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany
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25
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Johansson J, Rising A. Doing What Spiders Cannot-A Road Map to Supreme Artificial Silk Fibers. ACS NANO 2021; 15:1952-1959. [PMID: 33470789 PMCID: PMC7905870 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c08933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Fabricating artificial spider silk fibers in bulk scale has been a major goal in materials science for centuries. Two main routes have emerged for making such fibers. One method uses biomimetics in which the spider silk proteins (spidroins) are produced under nativelike conditions and then spun into fibers in a process that captures the natural, complex molecular mechanisms. However, these fibers do not yet match the mechanical properties of native silk fibers, potentially due to the small size of the designed spidroin used. The second route builds on biotechnological progress that enables production of large spidroins that can be spun into fibers by using organic solvents. With this approach, fibers that equal the native material in terms of mechanical properties can be manufactured, but the yields are too low for economically sustainable production. Hence, the need for new ideas is urgent. Herein, we introduce a structural-biology-based approach for engineering artificial spidroins that circumvents the laws with which spidroins, being secretory proteins, have to comply in order to avoid membrane insertion and provide a road map to the production of biomimetic silk fibers with improved mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Johansson
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, Neo, 14183 Huddinge, Sweden
- E-mail:
| | - Anna Rising
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, Neo, 14183 Huddinge, Sweden
- Department
of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
- E-mail:
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26
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Malay AD, Suzuki T, Katashima T, Kono N, Arakawa K, Numata K. Spider silk self-assembly via modular liquid-liquid phase separation and nanofibrillation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/45/eabb6030. [PMID: 33148640 PMCID: PMC7673682 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb6030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk fiber rapidly assembles from spidroin protein in soluble state via an incompletely understood mechanism. Here, we present an integrated model for silk formation that incorporates the effects of multiple chemical and physical gradients on the different spidroin functional domains. Central to the process is liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) that occurs in response to multivalent anions such as phosphate, mediated by the carboxyl-terminal and repetitive domains. Acidification coupled with LLPS triggers the swift self-assembly of nanofibril networks, facilitated by dimerization of the amino-terminal domain, and leads to a liquid-to-solid phase transition. Mechanical stress applied to the fibril structures yields macroscopic fibers with hierarchical organization and enriched for β-sheet conformations. Studies using native silk gland material corroborate our findings on spidroin phase separation. Our results suggest an intriguing parallel between silk assembly and other LLPS-mediated mechanisms, such as found in intracellular membraneless organelles and protein aggregation disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali D Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Takehiro Suzuki
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Takuya Katashima
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Kono
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, 246-2 Mizukami, Kakuganji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, 246-2 Mizukami, Kakuganji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
- Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
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27
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Greving I, Terry AE, Holland C, Boulet-Audet M, Grillo I, Vollrath F, Dicko C. Structural Diversity of Native Major Ampullate, Minor Ampullate, Cylindriform, and Flagelliform Silk Proteins in Solution. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:3387-3393. [PMID: 32551521 PMCID: PMC7421538 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The foundations of silk spinning, the structure, storage, and activation of silk proteins, remain highly debated. By combining solution small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) alongside circular dichroism (CD), we reveal a shape anisotropy of the four principal native spider silk feedstocks from Nephila edulis. We show that these proteins behave in solution like elongated semiflexible polymers with locally rigid sections. We demonstrated that minor ampullate and cylindriform proteins adopt a monomeric conformation, while major ampullate and flagelliform proteins have a preference for dimerization. From an evolutionary perspective, we propose that such dimerization arose to help the processing of disordered silk proteins. Collectively, our results provide insights into the molecular-scale processing of silk, uncovering a degree of evolutionary convergence in protein structures and chemistry that supports the macroscale micellar/pseudo liquid crystalline spinning mechanisms proposed by the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imke Greving
- Institute
of Materials Research, Helmholtz Zentrum
Geesthacht, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Ann E. Terry
- MAX IV Laboratory, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
- Lund
Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science, 223 70 Lund, Sweden
| | - Chris Holland
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, The
University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Fritz Vollrath
- Department
of Zoology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Cedric Dicko
- Pure
and
Applied Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Lund
Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science, 223 70 Lund, Sweden
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28
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Abstract
Spider web proteins are unique materials created by nature that, considering the combination of their properties, do not have analogues among natural or human-created materials. Obtaining significant amounts of these proteins from natural sources is not feasible. Biotechnological manufacturing in heterological systems is complicated by the very high molecular weight of spidroins and their specific amino acid composition. Obtaining recombinant analogues of spidroins in heterological systems, mainly in bacteria and yeast, has become a compromise solution. Because they can self-assemble, these proteins can form various materials, such as fibers, films, 3D-foams, hydrogels, tubes, and microcapsules. The effectiveness of spidroin hydrogels in deep wound healing, as 3D scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration and as oriented fibers for axon growth and nerve tissue regeneration, was demonstrated in animal models. The possibility to use spidroin micro- and nanoparticles for drug delivery was demonstrated, including the use of modified spidroins for virus-free DNA delivery into animal cell nuclei. In the past few years, significant interest has arisen concerning the use of these materials as biocompatible and biodegradable soft optics to construct photonic crystal super lenses and fiber optics and as soft electronics to use in triboelectric nanogenerators. This review summarizes the latest achievements in the field of spidroin production, the creation of materials based on them, the study of these materials as a scaffold for the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of various types of cells, and the prospects for using these materials for medical applications (e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery, coating medical devices), soft optics, and electronics. Accumulated data suggest the use of recombinant spidroins in medical practice in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir G Debabov
- State Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms of National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (NRC "Kurchatov Institute"-GOSNIIGENETIKA), Moscow 117545, Russia
| | - Vladimir G Bogush
- State Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms of National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (NRC "Kurchatov Institute"-GOSNIIGENETIKA), Moscow 117545, Russia
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29
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Hydrothermal Effect on Mechanical Properties of Nephila pilipes Spidroin. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12051013. [PMID: 32365504 PMCID: PMC7284706 DOI: 10.3390/polym12051013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The superlative mechanical properties of spider silk and its conspicuous variations have instigated significant interest over the past few years. However, current attempts to synthetically spin spider silk fibers often yield an inferior physical performance, owing to the improper molecular interactions of silk proteins. Considering this, herein, a post-treatment process to reorganize molecular structures and improve the physical strength of spider silk is reported. The major ampullate dragline silk from Nephila pilipes with a high β-sheet content and an adequate tensile strength was utilized as the study material, while that from Cyrtophora moluccensis was regarded as a reference. Our results indicated that the hydrothermal post-treatment (50-70 °C) of natural spider silk could effectively induce the alternation of secondary structures (random coil to β-sheet) and increase the overall tensile strength of the silk. Such advantageous post-treatment strategy when applied to regenerated spider silk also leads to an increment in the strength by ~2.5-3.0 folds, recapitulating ~90% of the strength of native spider silk. Overall, this study provides a facile and effective post-spinning means for enhancing the molecular structures and mechanical properties of as-spun silk threads, both natural and regenerated.
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30
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Kaldmäe M, Leppert A, Chen G, Sarr M, Sahin C, Nordling K, Kronqvist N, Gonzalvo-Ulla M, Fritz N, Abelein A, Laίn S, Biverstål H, Jörnvall H, Lane DP, Rising A, Johansson J, Landreh M. High intracellular stability of the spidroin N-terminal domain in spite of abundant amyloidogenic segments revealed by in-cell hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. FEBS J 2019; 287:2823-2833. [PMID: 31815338 PMCID: PMC7383493 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Proteins require an optimal balance of conformational flexibility and stability in their native environment to ensure their biological functions. A striking example is spidroins, spider silk proteins, which are stored at extremely high concentrations in soluble form, yet undergo amyloid-like aggregation during spinning. Here, we elucidate the stability of the highly soluble N-terminal domain (NT) of major ampullate spidroin 1 in the Escherichia coli cytosol as well as in inclusion bodies containing fibrillar aggregates. Surprisingly, we find that NT, despite being largely composed of amyloidogenic sequences, showed no signs of concentration-dependent aggregation. Using a novel intracellular hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) approach, we reveal that NT adopts a tight fold in the E. coli cytosol and in this manner conceals its aggregation-prone regions by maintaining a tight fold under crowded conditions. Fusion of NT to the unstructured amyloid-forming Aβ40 peptide, on the other hand, results in the formation of fibrillar aggregates. However, HDX-MS indicates that the NT domain is only partially incorporated into these aggregates in vivo. We conclude that NT is able to control its aggregation to remain functional under the extreme conditions in the spider silk gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margit Kaldmäe
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Axel Leppert
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Gefei Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Medoune Sarr
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Cagla Sahin
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Nordling
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Nina Kronqvist
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Marta Gonzalvo-Ulla
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden.,Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas Fritz
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Axel Abelein
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Sonia Laίn
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Henrik Biverstål
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
| | - Hans Jörnvall
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - David P Lane
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
| | - Anna Rising
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solna, Sweden
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31
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Sarkar A, Connor AJ, Koffas M, Zha RH. Chemical Synthesis of Silk-Mimetic Polymers. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 12:E4086. [PMID: 31817786 PMCID: PMC6947416 DOI: 10.3390/ma12244086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Silk is a naturally occurring high-performance material that can surpass man-made polymers in toughness and strength. The remarkable mechanical properties of silk result from the primary sequence of silk fibroin, which bears semblance to a linear segmented copolymer with alternating rigid ("crystalline") and flexible ("amorphous") blocks. Silk-mimetic polymers are therefore of great emerging interest, as they can potentially exhibit the advantageous features of natural silk while possessing synthetic flexibility as well as non-natural compositions. This review describes the relationships between primary sequence and material properties in natural silk fibroin and furthermore discusses chemical approaches towards the synthesis of silk-mimetic polymers. In particular, step-growth polymerization, controlled radical polymerization, and copolymerization with naturally derived silk fibroin are presented as strategies for synthesizing silk-mimetic polymers with varying molecular weights and degrees of sequence control. Strategies for improving macromolecular solubility during polymerization are also highlighted. Lastly, the relationships between synthetic approach, supramolecular structure, and bulk material properties are explored in this review, with the aim of providing an informative perspective on the challenges facing chemical synthesis of silk-mimetic polymers with desirable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - R. Helen Zha
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA; (A.S.); (A.J.C.); (M.K.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Solomonov
- Department of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science 7610001 Rehovot Israel
| | - Ulyana Shimanovich
- Department of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science 7610001 Rehovot Israel
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Garb JE, Haney RA, Schwager EE, Gregorič M, Kuntner M, Agnarsson I, Blackledge TA. The transcriptome of Darwin's bark spider silk glands predicts proteins contributing to dragline silk toughness. Commun Biol 2019; 2:275. [PMID: 31372514 PMCID: PMC6658490 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0496-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Darwin's bark spider (Caerostris darwini) produces giant orb webs from dragline silk that can be twice as tough as other silks, making it the toughest biological material. This extreme toughness comes from increased extensibility relative to other draglines. We show C. darwini dragline-producing major ampullate (MA) glands highly express a novel silk gene transcript (MaSp4) encoding a protein that diverges markedly from closely related proteins and contains abundant proline, known to confer silk extensibility, in a unique GPGPQ amino acid motif. This suggests C. darwini evolved distinct proteins that may have increased its dragline's toughness, enabling giant webs. Caerostris darwini's MA spinning ducts also appear unusually long, potentially facilitating alignment of silk proteins into extremely tough fibers. Thus, a suite of novel traits from the level of genes to spinning physiology to silk biomechanics are associated with the unique ecology of Darwin's bark spider, presenting innovative designs for engineering biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E. Garb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 198 Riverside Street, Olsen Hall 414, Lowell, MA 01854 USA
| | - Robert A. Haney
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 198 Riverside Street, Olsen Hall 414, Lowell, MA 01854 USA
| | - Evelyn E. Schwager
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 198 Riverside Street, Olsen Hall 414, Lowell, MA 01854 USA
| | - Matjaž Gregorič
- Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Biological Institute Jovan Hadži ZRC SAZU, Novi trg 2, P.O. Box 306, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Biological Institute Jovan Hadži ZRC SAZU, Novi trg 2, P.O. Box 306, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ingi Agnarsson
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405 USA
| | - Todd A. Blackledge
- Integrated Bioscience Program, Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325 USA
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Shang L, Yu Y, Liu Y, Chen Z, Kong T, Zhao Y. Spinning and Applications of Bioinspired Fiber Systems. ACS NANO 2019; 13:2749-2772. [PMID: 30768903 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b09651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Natural fiber systems provide inspirations for artificial fiber spinning and applications. Through a long process of trial and error, great progress has been made in recent years. The natural fiber itself, especially silks, and the formation mechanism are better understood, and some of the essential factors are implemented in artificial spinning methods, benefiting from advanced manufacturing technologies. In addition, fiber-based materials produced via bioinspired spinning methods find an increasingly wide range of biomedical, optoelectronic, and environmental engineering applications. This paper reviews recent developments in the spinning and application of bioinspired fiber systems, introduces natural fiber and spinning processes and artificial spinning methods, and discusses applications of artificial fiber materials. Views on remaining challenges and the perspective on future trends are also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoran Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering , Southeast University , Nanjing 210096 , China
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Harvard University , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Yunru Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering , Southeast University , Nanjing 210096 , China
| | - Yuxiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering , Southeast University , Nanjing 210096 , China
| | - Zhuoyue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering , Southeast University , Nanjing 210096 , China
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering , Shenzhen University , Shenzhen 518060 , China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering , Southeast University , Nanjing 210096 , China
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Mehrotra S, Chouhan D, Konwarh R, Kumar M, Jadi PK, Mandal BB. Comprehensive Review on Silk at Nanoscale for Regenerative Medicine and Allied Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:2054-2078. [PMID: 33405710 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Mehrotra
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati−781039, Assam, India
| | - Dimple Chouhan
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati−781039, Assam, India
| | - Rocktotpal Konwarh
- Biotechnology Department, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa−16417, Ethiopia
| | - Manishekhar Kumar
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati−781039, Assam, India
| | - Praveen Kumar Jadi
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati−781039, Assam, India
| | - Biman B. Mandal
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati−781039, Assam, India
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Xu L, Weatherbee-Martin N, Liu XQ, Rainey JK. Recombinant Silk Fiber Properties Correlate to Prefibrillar Self-Assembly. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1805294. [PMID: 30756524 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201805294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Spider silks are desirable materials with mechanical properties superior to most synthetic materials coupled with biodegradability and biocompatibility. In order to replicate natural silk properties using recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) and wet-spinning methods, the focus to date has typically been on modifying protein sequence, protein size, and spinning conditions. Here, an alternative approach is demonstrated. Namely, using the same ≈57 kDa recombinant aciniform silk protein with a consistent wet-spinning protocol, fiber mechanical properties are shown to significantly differ as a function of the solvent used to dissolve the protein at high concentration (the "spinning dope" solution). A fluorinated acid/alcohol/water dope leads to drastic improvement in fibrillar extensibility and, correspondingly, toughness compared to fibers produced using a previously developed fluorinated alcohol/water dope. To understand the underlying cause for these mechanical differences, morphology and structure of the two classes of silk fiber are compared, with features tracing back to dope-state protein structuring and preassembly. Specifically, distinct classes of spidroin nanoparticles appear to form in each dope prior to fiber spinning and these preassembled states are, in turn, linked to fiber morphology, structure, and mechanical properties. Tailoring of dope-state spidroin nanoparticle assembly, thus, appears a promising strategy to modulate fibrillar silk properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Xu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Nathan Weatherbee-Martin
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Xiang-Qin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jan K Rainey
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
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