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Miserez A, Yu J, Mohammadi P. Protein-Based Biological Materials: Molecular Design and Artificial Production. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2049-2111. [PMID: 36692900 PMCID: PMC9999432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Polymeric materials produced from fossil fuels have been intimately linked to the development of industrial activities in the 20th century and, consequently, to the transformation of our way of living. While this has brought many benefits, the fabrication and disposal of these materials is bringing enormous sustainable challenges. Thus, materials that are produced in a more sustainable fashion and whose degradation products are harmless to the environment are urgently needed. Natural biopolymers─which can compete with and sometimes surpass the performance of synthetic polymers─provide a great source of inspiration. They are made of natural chemicals, under benign environmental conditions, and their degradation products are harmless. Before these materials can be synthetically replicated, it is essential to elucidate their chemical design and biofabrication. For protein-based materials, this means obtaining the complete sequences of the proteinaceous building blocks, a task that historically took decades of research. Thus, we start this review with a historical perspective on early efforts to obtain the primary sequences of load-bearing proteins, followed by the latest developments in sequencing and proteomic technologies that have greatly accelerated sequencing of extracellular proteins. Next, four main classes of protein materials are presented, namely fibrous materials, bioelastomers exhibiting high reversible deformability, hard bulk materials, and biological adhesives. In each class, we focus on the design at the primary and secondary structure levels and discuss their interplays with the mechanical response. We finally discuss earlier and the latest research to artificially produce protein-based materials using biotechnology and synthetic biology, including current developments by start-up companies to scale-up the production of proteinaceous materials in an economically viable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Miserez
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore637553.,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore637551
| | - Jing Yu
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore637553.,Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS), NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore637553
| | - Pezhman Mohammadi
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Espoo, UusimaaFI-02044, Finland
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2
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Wang Q, McArdle P, Wang SL, Wilmington RL, Xing Z, Greenwood A, Cotten ML, Qazilbash MM, Schniepp HC. Protein secondary structure in spider silk nanofibrils. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4329. [PMID: 35902573 PMCID: PMC9334623 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31883-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanofibrils play a pivotal role in spider silk and are responsible for many of the impressive properties of this unique natural material. However, little is known about the internal structure of these protein fibrils. We carry out polarized Raman and polarized Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies on native spider silk nanofibrils and determine the concentrations of six distinct protein secondary structures, including β-sheets, and two types of helical structures, for which we also determine orientation distributions. Our advancements in peak assignments are in full agreement with the published silk vibrational spectroscopy literature. We further corroborate our findings with X-ray diffraction and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. Based on the latter and on polypeptide Raman spectra, we assess the role of key amino acids in different secondary structures. For the recluse spider we develop a highly detailed structural model, featuring seven levels of structural hierarchy. The approaches we develop are directly applicable to other proteinaceous materials. Secondary fibril structure is a key component of the mechanical properties of protein materials like silk, yet, limited information is known about the internal structure of these protein fibrils. Here, the authors report on the use of polarised Raman and FTIR spectroscopy to study silk materials and identify six distinct secondary structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qijue Wang
- Department of Applied Science, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Patrick McArdle
- Department of Physics, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Stephanie L Wang
- Department of Physics, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Ryan L Wilmington
- Department of Physics, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Zhen Xing
- Department of Physics, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Alexander Greenwood
- Department of Applied Science, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Myriam L Cotten
- Department of Applied Science, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - M Mumtaz Qazilbash
- Department of Physics, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA
| | - Hannes C Schniepp
- Department of Applied Science, William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA.
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3
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Liu C, Hua J, Ng PF, Wang Y, Fei B, Shao Z. Bioinspired Photo-Cross-Linking of Stretched Solid Silks for Enhanced Strength. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:484-492. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c01170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jiachuan Hua
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Pui Fai Ng
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yidi Wang
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Bin Fei
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
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Jao D, Hu X, Beachley V. Bioinspired Silk Fiber Spinning System via Automated Track-Drawing. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:8192-8204. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Synchrotron FTIR Microspectroscopy Methods to Understand the Conformation of Single Animal Silk Fibers. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34472066 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1574-4_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Animal silks have received extensive attention in these years due to their unique mechanical properties. The study of the structure-property relationship of animal silks is not only critical for the understanding of the design secrets of natural materials but also can inspire the engineering material designs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been used to study the secondary structure of animal silk, which is considered to be critical to the mechanical properties of animal silk. However, most of these characterizations are conducted on silk fiber bundles. In this respect, synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy (S-micro FTIR) has unique advantages in characterizing single animal silks, as S-micro FTIR has significant advantages in ultrahigh brightness and high spatial resolution to characterize samples with small size. Here, we will introduce the methods for using synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy to analyze the conformation and orientation of single animal silk fibers, which would be an efficient method to elucidate the "structure-property" relationship within animal silks.
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Composition and in silico structural analysis of fibroin from liquid silk of non-mulberry silkworm Antheraea assamensis. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 163:1947-1958. [PMID: 32910960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.08.232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Silk is spun from the liquid precursor known as liquid silk secreted from the posterior part and stored in the silk gland lumen with occurrence of many momentary events. The liquid silk in the silk gland is transformed to the spun silk fibre. In this study the elucidation of the protein components of liquid silk from the posterior part of the silk gland (PSG) of saturniid silkworm Antheraea assamensis along with its structural characterization has been reported. The 3D model of the N-terminal amorphous portion with some repeat crystalline motifs (19-255) of core protein fibroin has also been constructed. 1D and 2D electrophoresis revealed the homo-dimeric structure of the silk protein. Secondary structure analysis by Circular dichroism, FTIR spectroscopy showed α helical structural component as predominant conformation in the liquid silk. The crystalline structure investigated through X ray diffraction (XRD) analysis also revealed the presence of less ordered amorphous α helical conformation in the liquid silk. The 3D structural model proposed of the residues from 19 to 255 has revealed structural stability throughout the molecular dynamics simulation process. This study will provide the detailed structural information and in silico analysis of the core protein present in the liquid silk of PSG.
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Brif A, Laity P, Claeyssens F, Holland C. Dynamic Photo-cross-linking of Native Silk Enables Macroscale Patterning at a Microscale Resolution. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 6:705-714. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b00993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Brif
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, U.K
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ, U.K
| | - Peter Laity
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, U.K
| | - Frederik Claeyssens
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ, U.K
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, U.K
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Zhong J, Liu Y, Ren J, Tang Y, Qi Z, Zhou X, Chen X, Shao Z, Chen M, Kaplan DL, Ling S. Understanding Secondary Structures of Silk Materials via Micro- and Nano-Infrared Spectroscopies. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:3161-3183. [PMID: 33405510 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b00305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The secondary structures (also termed conformations) of silk fibroin (SF) in animal silk fibers and regenerated SF materials are critical in determining mechanical performance and function of the materials. In order to understand the structure-mechanics-function relationships of silk materials, a variety of advanced infrared spectroscopic techniques, such as micro-infrared spectroscopies (micro-IR spectroscopies for short), synchrotron micro-IR spectroscopy, and nano-infrared spectroscopies (nano-IR spectroscopies for short), have been used to determine the conformations of SF in silk materials. These IR spectroscopic methods provide a useful toolkit to understand conformations and conformational transitions of SF in various silk materials with spatial resolution from the nano-scale to the micro-scale. In this Review, we first summarize progress in understanding the structure and structure-mechanics relationships of silk materials. We then discuss the state-of-the-art micro- and nano-IR spectroscopic techniques used for silk materials characterization. We also provide a systematic discussion of the strategies to collect high-quality spectra and the methods to analyze these spectra. Finally, we demonstrate the challenges and directions for future exploration of silk-based materials with IR spectroscopies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zhong
- National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yawen Liu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jing Ren
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yuzhao Tang
- National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zeming Qi
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China
| | - Xiaojie Zhou
- National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Min Chen
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
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9
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McGill M, Holland GP, Kaplan DL. Experimental Methods for Characterizing the Secondary Structure and Thermal Properties of Silk Proteins. Macromol Rapid Commun 2019; 40:e1800390. [PMID: 30073740 PMCID: PMC6425979 DOI: 10.1002/marc.201800390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Silk proteins are biopolymers produced by spinning organisms that have been studied extensively for applications in materials engineering, regenerative medicine, and devices due to their high tensile strength and extensibility. This remarkable combination of mechanical properties arises from their unique semi-crystalline secondary structure and block copolymer features. The secondary structure of silks is highly sensitive to processing, and can be manipulated to achieve a wide array of material profiles. Studying the secondary structure of silks is therefore critical to understanding the relationship between structure and function, the strength and stability of silk-based materials, and the natural fiber synthesis process employed by spinning organisms. However, silks present unique challenges to structural characterization due to high-molecular-weight protein chains, repetitive sequences, and heterogeneity in intra- and interchain domain sizes. Here, experimental techniques used to study the secondary structure of silks, the information attainable from these techniques, and the limitations associated with them are reviewed. Ultimately, the appropriate utilization of a suite of techniques discussed here will enable detailed characterization of silk-based materials, from studying fundamental processing-structure-function relationships to developing commercially useful quality control assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan McGill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Gregory P. Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1030, USA
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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10
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Belton DJ, Plowright R, Kaplan DL, Perry CC. A robust spectroscopic method for the determination of protein conformational composition - Application to the annealing of silk. Acta Biomater 2018; 73:355-364. [PMID: 29649640 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The physical and mechanical properties of structural proteins such as silk fibroin can be modified by controlled conformational change, which is regularly monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy by peak fitting of the amide I band envelope. Although many variables affecting peak shape are well established, there is no fixed methodology to compare and follow secondary structural differences without significant operator input especially where low frequency spectral noise is a problem. The aim of this contribution is to establish a method for such analyses to be carried at high levels of autonomy to prevent subjective or erroneous fitting. A range of approaches was trialled with optimal peak parameters selected based on overall goodness of fit and reproducibility of fit of replicate sample spectra. The method was successfully tested against reference proteins having contrasting β content and the rationale for parameter selection is presented. Further, we applied this method to measure the effect of conformational change on the energy of the amide I band of silk fibroin during annealing. Energy changes were ca. 400 kJ mol-1 of fibroin. To confirm that this energy change was a consequence of increased hydrogen bonding we used a Thioflavin T staining method typically used to identify β aggregate type structures in amyloid plaques. We propose that the approach described herein can aid in the development of silk based materials for biomedical applications where tuning of the physical and mechanical properties of the silk are needed to guarantee optimum activity. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The physical and mechanical properties of proteins including silk fibroin can be modified by controlled structural change, which is regularly monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) by peak fitting of the amide I band. Currently there is no fixed methodology to compare and follow secondary structural differences without significant operator input leading to subjectivity and error. This contribution establishes a method for such analyses to be carried at high levels of autonomy applicable to a wide range of proteins and the conformational changes have been quantified as a single energy change output, which clearly shows the progression of the annealing process used. We propose that the approach can help in the development of silk based materials for biomedical applications where tuning of the physical and mechanical properties of the silk are needed to guarantee optimum activity.
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11
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Wang Y, Wen J, Peng B, Hu B, Chen X, Shao Z. Understanding the Mechanical Properties and Structure Transition of Antheraea pernyi Silk Fiber Induced by Its Contraction. Biomacromolecules 2018; 19:1999-2006. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianchuan Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Peng
- Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bingwen Hu
- Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
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12
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Maniglio D, Bonani W, Migliaresi C, Motta A. Silk fibroin porous scaffolds by N 2O foaming. JOURNAL OF BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE-POLYMER EDITION 2018; 29:491-506. [PMID: 29297760 DOI: 10.1080/09205063.2018.1423811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Silk fibroin has acquired increasing interest for biomedical applications, and namely for the fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering, because of its highly positive biological interaction and the possibility to adapt the material to several application requirements by adopting different fabrication methods, in order to make films, sponges, fibers, nets or gels with predictable degradation times. For tissue engineering, in most cases porous scaffolds are required, in some cases possibly in situ forming and therefore fabricated in mild body-compatible conditions. In this work, we present a novel one-step method for the preparation of silk fibroin foams starting from water solutions and using low-pressure nitrous oxide gas as foaming agent. This foaming technique allows preparing fibroin porous scaffolds with easily tunable porosity, in mild processing conditions with the use of a relatively inert foaming agent saturating a fibroin water solution, that could be occasionally injected through a thin needle in the implantation site where expansion and foaming would occur. Optimal foaming processing conditions have been investigated, and the prepared foams have been characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) compressive mechanical and rheological properties measurements, and by scanning electron microscopy and microCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devid Maniglio
- a Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research Center , University of Trento , Trento , Italy
| | - Walter Bonani
- a Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research Center , University of Trento , Trento , Italy
| | - Claudio Migliaresi
- a Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research Center , University of Trento , Trento , Italy
| | - Antonella Motta
- a Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research Center , University of Trento , Trento , Italy
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13
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Yoshioka T, Hata T, Kojima K, Nakazawa Y, Kameda T. Fabrication Scheme for Obtaining Transparent, Flexible, and Water-Insoluble Silk Films from Apparently Dissolved Silk-Gland Fibroin of Bombyx mori Silkworm. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2017; 3:3207-3214. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.7b00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Taiyo Yoshioka
- Silk
Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Tamako Hata
- Silk
Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Katsura Kojima
- Silk
Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Yasumoto Nakazawa
- Division
of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Tsunenori Kameda
- Silk
Materials Research Unit, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
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14
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Ling S, Qin Z, Li C, Huang W, Kaplan DL, Buehler MJ. Polymorphic regenerated silk fibers assembled through bioinspired spinning. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1387. [PMID: 29123097 PMCID: PMC5680232 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00613-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of artificial spinning methods have been applied to produce regenerated silk fibers; however, how to spin regenerated silk fibers that retain the advantages of natural silks in terms of structural hierarchy and mechanical properties remains challenging. Here, we show a bioinspired approach to spin regenerated silk fibers. First, we develop a nematic silk microfibril solution, highly viscous and stable, by partially dissolving silk fibers into microfibrils. This solution maintains the hierarchical structures in natural silks and serves as spinning dope. It is then spun into regenerated silk fibers by direct extrusion in the air, offering a useful route to generate polymorphic and hierarchical regenerated silk fibers with physical properties beyond natural fiber construction. The materials maintain the structural hierarchy and mechanical properties of natural silks, including a modulus of 11 ± 4 GPa, even higher than natural spider silk. It can further be functionalized with a conductive silk/carbon nanotube coating, responsive to changes in humidity and temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjie Ling
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Zhao Qin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Chunmei Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Wenwen Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
| | - Markus J Buehler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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15
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Orientational Mapping Augmented Sub-Wavelength Hyper-Spectral Imaging of Silk. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7419. [PMID: 28785090 PMCID: PMC5547124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07502-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular alignment underpins optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of materials, however, its direct measurement from volumes with micrometer dimensions is not accessible, especially, for structurally complex bio-materials. How the molecular alignment is linked to extraordinary properties of silk and its amorphous-crystalline composition has to be accessed by a direct measurement from a single silk fiber. Here, we show orientation mapping of the internal silk fiber structure via polarisation-dependent IR absorbance at high spatial resolution of 4.2 μm and 1.9 μm in a hyper-spectral IR imaging by attenuated total reflection using synchrotron radiation in the spectral fingerprint region around 6 μm wavelength. Free-standing longitudinal micro-slices of silk fibers, thinner than the fiber cross section, were prepared by microtome for the four polarization method to directly measure the orientational sensitivity of absorbance in the molecular fingerprint spectral window of the amide bands of β-sheet polypeptides of silk. Microtomed lateral slices of silk fibers, which may avoid possible artefacts that affect spectroscopic measurements with fibers of an elliptical cross sections were used in the study. Amorphisation of silk by ultra-short laser single-pulse exposure is demonstrated.
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16
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Toytziaridis A, Dicko C. Fabrication and Optimization of Stable, Optically Transparent, and Reusable pH-Responsive Silk Membranes. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E1897. [PMID: 27854303 PMCID: PMC5133896 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17111897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The fabrication of silk-based membranes that are stable, optically transparent and reusable is yet to be achieved. To address this bottleneck we have developed a method to produce transparent chromogenic silk patches that are optically responsive to pH. The patches were produced by blending regenerated silk fibroin (RSF), Laponite RD (nano clay) and the organic dyes neutral red and Thionine acetate. The Laponite RD played a central role in the patch mechanical integrity and prevention of dye leaching. The process was optimized using a factorial design to maximize the patch response to pH by UV absorbance and fluorescence emission. New patches of the optimized protocol, made from solutions containing 125 μM neutral red or 250 μM of Thionine and 15 mg/mL silk, were further tested for operational stability over several cycles of pH altering. Stability, performance, and reusability were achieved over the tested cycles. The approach could be extended to other reporting molecules or enzymes able to bind to Laponite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Toytziaridis
- Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Chemical Center, Lund University, 22241 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Cedric Dicko
- Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Chemical Center, Lund University, 22241 Lund, Sweden.
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17
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Guan J, Wang Y, Mortimer B, Holland C, Shao Z, Porter D, Vollrath F. Glass transitions in native silk fibres studied by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:5926-5936. [PMID: 27320178 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm00019c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Silks are a family of semi-crystalline structural materials, spun naturally by insects, spiders and even crustaceans. Compared to the characteristic β-sheet crystalline structure in silks, the non-crystalline structure and its composition deserves more attention as it is equally critical to the filaments' high toughness and strength. Here we further unravel the structure-property relationship in silks using Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). This technique allows us to examine the most important structural relaxation event of the disordered structure the disordered structure, the glass transition (GT), in native silk fibres of the lepidopteran Bombyx mori and Antheraea pernyi and the spider Nephila edulis. The measured glass transition temperature Tg, loss tangent tan δ and dynamic storage modulus are quantitatively modelled based on Group Interaction Modelling (GIM). The "variability" issue in native silks can be conveniently explained by the different degrees of structural disorder as revealed by DMTA. The new insights will facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the structure-property relations for a wide range of biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Guan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Structural and Biomaterials, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Beth Mortimer
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - David Porter
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
| | - Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
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Baldassarre M, Bennett M, Barth A. Simultaneous acquisition of infrared, fluorescence and light scattering spectra of proteins: direct evidence for pre-fibrillar species in amyloid fibril formation. Analyst 2016; 141:963-73. [PMID: 26668843 DOI: 10.1039/c5an02283e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Different spectroscopic approaches are often used to probe specific aspects of amyloid fibril formation but are usually performed separately and under different conditions. This makes it problematic to relate different aspects of the aggregation process when these are monitored by different methods. We report on a multispectral approach for simultaneous acquisition of infrared, fluorescence and light scattering spectra of proteins undergoing aggregation. We have applied our approach to study β-lactoglobulin, a milk protein known to form amyloid fibrils under well-established conditions. Our real-time multispectral measurements show that unfolding of this protein is followed by formation of early aggregates consisting of intermolecular β-sheets with a typical infrared absorption at ∼1619 cm(-1) in (2)H2O. These aggregates, which lead to an increase in the light scattering signal, do not bind the amyloid-specific fluorophore ThT and therefore consist of oligomers or protofibrils. Fibril growth is then observed as a sigmoidal increase in ThT fluorescence. After ∼25 h, a plateau is observed in the intensities of ThT emission and of the band at 1619 cm(-1), indicating that no new fibrils are forming. However, a second phase in the light scattering signal taking place after ∼25 h suggests that the fibrils are assembling into larger structures, known as mature fibrils. This is associated with an upshift of the main β-sheet band in the infrared spectrum. TEM analyses confirmed the existence of thick fibrils comprising 3-5 filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Baldassarre
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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19
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Aksakal B. Temperature effect on the recovery process in stretched Bombyx mori silk fibers. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2016; 152:629-636. [PMID: 25701136 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2015.01.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The recovery process in stretched Bombyx mori silk fibers at different strain levels from 3% to 17% was investigated at room conditions during long period of time from 5min to 20days and more. How the temperature affects the recovery process in the silk fibers stretched at room conditions was examined at temperatures from 25 to 125°C. The results of the recovery process at 25°C revealed that although the recovery process from strain values higher than 3% strain continued slowly which caused quite high remaining deformation, a complete recovery from 3% strain was observed after 3days. However, better recovery process was observed with increasing temperature which led to lower remaining deformations. For instance, a complete recovery from 6% strain was observed after 144h and 3h for the recovery process at 100°C and 125°C, respectively which indicates an important result that the deformations induced by stretching the silk fibers up to 6% strain are reversible and increasing temperature affects the velocity of this process significantly. The recovery process expressed in the strain (ε) and logarithm time coordinates showed a linear dependence for which a linear equation was proposed. Thus, this linear equation enables to estimate the required time for a complete recovery from different strain levels and remaining deformation at any stage of the recovery at different temperatures. The ATR-FTIR spectra of the stretched silk fibers during the recovery process revealed some changes in the absorbance ratios and shifts in the positions of the bands assigned to Cα-C, N-H stretching vibrations, and the Amide III mode. It was suggested that new formation of the hydrogen bonds between polypeptide chains especially in amorphous regions and the changes in the intra-sheet hydrogen bonds in β-sheet crystalline regions greatly contribute to the recovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baki Aksakal
- Yildiz Technical University, Department of Physics, Davutpasa Campus, Esenler 34210, Istanbul, Turkey.
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20
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Aksakal B, Koç K, Yargı Ö, Tsobkallo K. Effect of UV-light on the uniaxial tensile properties and structure of uncoated and TiO2 coated Bombyx mori silk fibers. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2016; 152:658-665. [PMID: 25746557 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2015.01.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The effect of UV-light on the uniaxial tensile properties and the structure of uncoated and TiO2 coated silk fibers in the bave form by using sol-gel method was investigated with tensile testing and FT-IR/ATR spectroscopy methods after the silk filaments were exposed to UV-light with high intensity of 760W/m(2) for different times from 0.5h to 1day. It was clearly observed that TiO2 coating considerably increased the Young's modulus of the uncoated silk single filament by around 17% before the UV-irradiation. The yield point and the post yield region disappeared on the stress-strain curves of both uncoated and TiO2 coated silk filaments after UV-irradiation time higher than 1h. Except for the Young's modulus, most of the tensile characteristics of both uncoated and TiO2 coated silk filaments decreased remarkably with increasing UV-irradiation time, e.g., after 1h irradiation, although the Young's modulus slightly changed and ultimate tensile strength decreased by only around 18% and 23%, for the uncoated and TiO2 coated silk filaments, respectively; breaking extension decreased dramatically by 67% and 72%, respectively, for uncoated and TiO2 coated silk filaments. Only the Young's modulus of TiO2 coated silk filaments which can be considered as a more stable tensile characteristic became significantly higher than that of the uncoated silk filaments with increasing UV-irradiation time. After 1day irradiation, even though the uncoated silk filaments could not be tested and completely lost of their fiber properties, the TiO2 coated silk filaments showed a stress-strain curve in initial elastic region with Young's modulus of ∼13GPa which indicates considerable protective effect of TiO2 on the silk fiber structure, especially on the β-sheet microcrystals against UV-radiation. The FT-IR/ATR spectral results showed that significant photodegradation took place in not only crystalline but also amorphous regions which were deduced from the decrease in the absorbance ratios of the bands assigned to CH3 rocking, Cα-Cβ, Cα-C stretching vibrations in β-sheet crystalline regions as well as the Amide I, II, and III bands for both crystalline and amorphous regions. Even though the ratio of crystalline to amorphous regions in uncoated silk filaments decreased significantly, the ratio in TiO2 coated silk filaments became almost constant with increasing UV-irradiation time which may indicate more stable β-sheet microcrystals against photodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baki Aksakal
- Department of Physics, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, Esenler 34210, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Kenan Koç
- Department of Physics, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, Esenler 34210, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Önder Yargı
- Department of Physics, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, Esenler 34210, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Katherina Tsobkallo
- Department of Mechanics of Materials, St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design, B. Morskaya 18, 191186 St. Petersburg, Russia
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21
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Boulet-Audet M, Vollrath F, Holland C. Identification and classification of silks using infrared spectroscopy. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3138-49. [PMID: 26347557 PMCID: PMC4631776 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lepidopteran silks number in the thousands and display a vast diversity of structures, properties and industrial potential. To map this remarkable biochemical diversity, we present an identification and screening method based on the infrared spectra of native silk feedstock and cocoons. Multivariate analysis of over 1214 infrared spectra obtained from 35 species allowed us to group silks into distinct hierarchies and a classification that agrees well with current phylogenetic data and taxonomies. This approach also provides information on the relative content of sericin, calcium oxalate, phenolic compounds, poly-alanine and poly(alanine-glycine) β-sheets. It emerged that the domesticated mulberry silkmoth Bombyx mori represents an outlier compared with other silkmoth taxa in terms of spectral properties. Interestingly, Epiphora bauhiniae was found to contain the highest amount of β-sheets reported to date for any wild silkmoth. We conclude that our approach provides a new route to determine cocoon chemical composition and in turn a novel, biological as well as material, classification of silks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Boulet-Audet
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
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22
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Aguayo T, Carolina Araya M, Mónica Icaza T, Campos-Vallette M. A vibrational approach for the study of historical weighted and dyed silks. J Mol Struct 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2014.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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23
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Silk protein aggregation kinetics revealed by Rheo-IR. Acta Biomater 2014; 10:776-84. [PMID: 24200713 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2013.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable mechanical properties of silk fibres stem from a multi-scale hierarchical structure created when an aqueous protein "melt" is converted to an insoluble solid via flow. To directly relate a silk protein's structure and function in response to flow, we present the first application of a Rheo-IR platform, which couples cone and plate rheology with attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. This technique provides a new window into silk processing by linking shear thinning to an increase in molecular alignment, with shear thickening affecting changes in the silk protein's secondary structure. Additionally, compared to other static characterization methods for silk, Rheo-IR proved particularly useful at revealing the intrinsic difference between natural (native) and reconstituted silk feedstocks. Hence Rheo-IR offers important novel insights into natural silk processing. This has intrinsic academic merit, but it might also be useful when designing reconstituted silk analogues alongside other polymeric systems, whether natural or synthetic.
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24
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Chen Y, Wang HS, Morisawa Y, Ozaki Y. Concept and properties of an infrared hybrid single-beam spectrum and its application to eliminate solvent bands and other background interferences. Talanta 2014; 119:105-10. [PMID: 24401391 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2013.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
For infrared (IR) spectral measurements, if a quality single-beam background spectrum with desired intensity could be obtained, the contributions from solvent and other background components could be completely suppressed and their bands would not appear in a final transmittance/absorbance spectrum. In order to achieve this ideal but difficult goal, the concept of hybrid single-beam spectrum is introduced in this paper. The hybrid single-beam spectrum (φ h) is defined as a mixture of two single-beam spectra (φ b1 and φ b2) of the same sample but with different pathlengths (b1 and b2), namely, φ h = αφ b1+(1-α)φ b2, where α (0 ≤ α ≤ 1) is the component factor. The properties of the hybrid spectrum have been investigated. Under conditions of b2 > b1 ≥ 0.7 b2 and A max ≤ 0.60 (Amax is the maximum absorbance of b2 sample in the spectral range of interest), all the synthesized hybrid spectra are free from significant distortion regardless of the component factor. Therefore, the hybrid single-beam spectrum with desired intensity can be easily obtained simply by choosing an appropriate component factor. The proposed methodology has been demonstrated experimentally by the complete removal of the interference from the atmospheric water vapor and solvent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujing Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Hai-Shui Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Yusuke Morisawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Ozaki
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gukuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan
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25
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Addison JB, Popp TMO, Weber WS, Edgerly JS, Holland GP, Yarger JL. Structural characterization of nanofiber silk produced by embiopterans (webspinners). RSC Adv 2014; 4:41301-41313. [PMID: 25383190 DOI: 10.1039/c4ra07567f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Embiopterans produce silken galleries and sheets using exceptionally fine silk fibers in which they live and breed. In this study, we use electron microscopy (EM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) techniques to elucidate the molecular level protein structure of webspinner (embiid) silks. Silks from two species Antipaluria urichi and Aposthonia ceylonica are studied in this work. Electron microscopy images show that the fibers are about 90-100 nm in diameter, making webspinner silks among the finest of all known animal silks. Structural studies reveal that the silk protein core is dominated by β-sheet structures, and that the protein core is coated with a hydrophobic alkane-rich surface coating. FTIR spectra of native embiid silk shows characteristic alkane CH2 stretchings near 2800-2900 cm-1, which decrease approximately 50% after washing the silk with 2 : 1 CHCl3 : MeOH. Furthermore, 13C ssNMR data shows a significant CH2 resonance that is strongly affected by the presence of water, supporting the idea that the silk fibers are coated with a hydrocarbon-rich layer. Such a layer is likely used to protect the colonies from rain. FTIR data also suggests that embiid silks are dominated by β-sheet secondary structures similar to spider and silkworm silk fibers. NMR data confirms the presence of β-sheet nanostructures dominated by serine-rich repetitive regions. A deconvolution of the serine Cβ NMR resonance reveals that approximately 70% of all seryl residues exist in a β-sheet structure. This is consistent with WAXD results that suggest webspinner silks are 70% crystalline, which is the highest crystalline fraction reported for any animal silks. The work presented here provides a molecular level structural picture of silk fibers produced by webspinners.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bennett Addison
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA
| | - Thomas M Osborn Popp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA
| | - Warner S Weber
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA
| | - Janice S Edgerly
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Gregory P Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA
| | - Jeffery L Yarger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA
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26
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Ling S, Qi Z, Knight DP, Huang Y, Huang L, Zhou H, Shao Z, Chen X. Insight into the structure of single Antheraea pernyi silkworm fibers using synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy. Biomacromolecules 2013; 14:1885-92. [PMID: 23607809 DOI: 10.1021/bm400267m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Synchrotron FTIR (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy was used to monitor both protein secondary structures (conformations) and their orientations in single cocoon silk fibers of the Chinese Tussah silk moth ( Antheraea pernyi ). In addition, to understand further the relationship between structure and properties of single silk fibers, we studied the changes of orientation and content of different secondary structures in single A. pernyi silk fibers when subjected to different strains. The results showed that the content and orientation of β-sheet was almost unchanged for strains from 0 to 0.3. However, the orientation of α-helix and random coil improved progressively with increasing strain, with a parallel decrease in α-helix content and an increase in random coil. This clearly indicates that most of the deformation upon stretching of the single fiber is due to the change of orientation in the amorphous regions coupled with a conversion of some of the α-helix to random coil. These observations provide an explanation for the supercontraction behavior of certain animal silks and are likely to facilitate understanding and optimization of postdrawing used in the conjunction with the wet-spinning of silk fibers from regenerated silk solutions. Thus, our work demonstrates the power of S-FTIR microspectroscopy for studying biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjie Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University , Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
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Cilurzo F, Gennari CG, Selmin F, Marotta LA, Minghetti P, Montanari L. An investigation into silk fibroin conformation in composite materials intended for drug delivery. Int J Pharm 2011; 414:218-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2011.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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28
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Boulet-Audet M, Vollrath F, Holland C. Rheo-attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy: a new tool to study biopolymers. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2011; 13:3979-84. [DOI: 10.1039/c0cp02599b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Boulet-Audet M, Buffeteau T, Boudreault S, Daugey N, Pézolet M. Quantitative Determination of Band Distortions in Diamond Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectra. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:8255-61. [DOI: 10.1021/jp101763y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Boulet-Audet
- Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés CERMA, Département de Chimie, and Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec G1 V 0A6, Canada, and Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 du CNRS, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, France
| | - Thierry Buffeteau
- Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés CERMA, Département de Chimie, and Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec G1 V 0A6, Canada, and Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 du CNRS, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, France
| | - Simon Boudreault
- Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés CERMA, Département de Chimie, and Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec G1 V 0A6, Canada, and Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 du CNRS, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, France
| | - Nicolas Daugey
- Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés CERMA, Département de Chimie, and Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec G1 V 0A6, Canada, and Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 du CNRS, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, France
| | - Michel Pézolet
- Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés CERMA, Département de Chimie, and Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec G1 V 0A6, Canada, and Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 du CNRS, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, France
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30
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Eisoldt L, Hardy JG, Heim M, Scheibel TR. The role of salt and shear on the storage and assembly of spider silk proteins. J Struct Biol 2010; 170:413-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2009.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2009] [Revised: 12/22/2009] [Accepted: 12/27/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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