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Yu S, Zheng H, Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Zhao S, Dai X, Zhong B. TALEN-mediated homologous-recombination-based fibroin light chain in-fusion expression system in Bombyx mori. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1399629. [PMID: 38832132 PMCID: PMC11144906 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1399629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Silkworm was the first domesticated insect and has important economic value. It has also become an ideal model organism with applications in genetic and expression studies. In recent years, the use of transgenic strategies has made the silkworm silk gland an attractive bioreactor for the production of recombinant proteins, in particular, piggyBac-mediated transgenes. However, owing to differences in regulatory elements such as promoters, the expression levels of exogenous proteins have not reached expectations. Here, we used targeted gene editing to achieve site-specific integration of exogenous genes on genomic DNA and established the fibroin light chain (FibL) in-fusion expression system by TALEN-mediated homology-directed recombination. First, the histidine-rich cuticular protein (CP) was successfully site-directed inserted into the native FibL, and the FibL-CP fusion gene was correctly transcribed and expressed in the posterior silk gland under the control of the endogenous FibL promoter, with a protein expression level comparable with that of the native FibL protein. Moreover, we showed based on molecular docking that the fusion of FibL with cuticular protein may have a negative effect on disulfide bond formation between the C-terminal domain of fibroin heavy chain (FibH) and FibL-CP, resulting in abnormal spinning and cocoon in homozygotes, indicating a significant role of FibL in silk protein formation and secretion. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using the FibL fusion system to express exogenous proteins in silkworm. We expect that this bioreactor system will be used to produce more proteins of interest, expanding the application value of the silk gland bioreactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huoqing Zheng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuo Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zheng Zhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dai
- Suposik Bioscience Technologies Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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Dai X, Ye X, Shi L, Yu S, Wang X, Zhong B. High mechanical property silk produced by transgenic silkworms expressing the Drosophila Dumpy. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1359587. [PMID: 38410165 PMCID: PMC10895422 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1359587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted on utilizing transgenic silkworms and their natural spinning apparatus to produce high-performance spider silk fibers. However, research on using non-spider biological proteins to optimize the molecular structure of silk protein and improve the mechanical performance of silk fibers is still relatively scarce. Dumpy, a massive extracellular matrix polypeptide, is essential for preserving the shape and structural integrity of the insect cuticle due to its remarkable tension and elasticity. Here, we constructed two transgenic donor plasmids containing the fusion genes of FibH-Dumpy and FibL-Dumpy. The results indicated the successful integration of two exogenous gene expression cassettes, driven by endogenous promoters, into the silkworm genome using piggyBac-mediated transgenic technology. Secondary structure analysis revealed a 16.7% and 13.6% increase in the β-sheet content of transgenic silks compared to wild-type (WT) silk fibers. Mechanical testing demonstrated that, compared to the WT, HDUY and LDUY transgenic silk fibers exhibited respective increases of 39.54% and 21.45% in maximum stress, 44.43% and 45.02% in toughness, and 24.91% and 28.51% in elastic recovery rate. These findings suggest that Drosophila Dumpy significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of silk, positioning it as an excellent candidate for the development of extraordinary-performance fibers. This study provides rich inspiration for using other biological proteins to construct high-performance silk fibers and expands the possibilities for designing and applying novel biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangping Dai
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangen Shi
- Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shihua Yu
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- Institute of Silkworm and Bee Research, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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Connor A, Wigham C, Bai Y, Rai M, Nassif S, Koffas M, Zha RH. Novel insights into construct toxicity, strain optimization, and primary sequence design for producing recombinant silk fibroin and elastin-like peptide in E. coli. Metab Eng Commun 2023; 16:e00219. [PMID: 36825067 PMCID: PMC9941211 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2023.e00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider silk proteins (spidroins) are a remarkable class of biomaterials that exhibit a unique combination of high-value attributes and can be processed into numerous morphologies for targeted applications in diverse fields. Recombinant production of spidroins represents the most promising route towards establishing the industrial production of the material, however, recombinant spider silk production suffers from fundamental difficulties that includes low titers, plasmid instability, and translational inefficiencies. In this work, we sought to gain a deeper understanding of upstream bottlenecks that exist in the field through the production of a panel of systematically varied spidroin sequences in multiple E. coli strains. A restriction on basal expression and specific genetic mutations related to stress responses were identified as primary factors that facilitated higher titers of the recombinant silk constructs. Using these findings, a novel strain of E. coli was created that produces recombinant silk constructs at levels 4-33 times higher than standard BL21(DE3). However, these findings did not extend to a similar recombinant protein, an elastin-like peptide. It was found that the recombinant silk proteins, but not the elastin-like peptide, exert toxicity on the E. coli host system, possibly through their high degree of intrinsic disorder. Along with strain engineering, a bioprocess design that utilizes longer culturing times and attenuated induction was found to raise recombinant silk titers by seven-fold and mitigate toxicity. Targeted alteration to the primary sequence of the recombinant silk constructs was also found to mitigate toxicity. These findings identify multiple points of focus for future work seeking to further optimize the recombinant production of silk proteins and is the first work to identify the intrinsic disorder and subsequent toxicity of certain spidroin constructs as a primary factor related to the difficulties of production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Connor
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Caleb Wigham
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Yang Bai
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Manish Rai
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Sebastian Nassif
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Mattheos Koffas
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Corresponding author. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
| | - R. Helen Zha
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA,Corresponding author. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
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Zhao S, Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Yu S, Zhong B. Drosophila melanogaster resilin improves the mechanical properties of transgenic silk. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282533. [PMID: 36867637 PMCID: PMC9983856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilin is a natural protein with high extensibility and resilience that plays a key role in the biological processes of insects, such as flight, bouncing, and vocalization. This study used piggyBac-mediated transgenic technology to stably insert the Drosophila melanogaster resilin gene into the silkworm genome to investigate whether exogenous protein structures improve the mechanical properties of silkworm silk. Molecular detection showed that recombinant resilin was expressed and secreted into silk. Secondary structure and mechanical property analysis showed that the β-sheet content in silk from transgenic silkworms was higher than in wild-type silk. The fracture strength of silk fused with resilin protein was 7.2% higher than wild-type silk. The resilience of recombinant silk after one-time stretching and cyclic stretching was 20.5% and 18.7% higher than wild-type silk, respectively. In summary, Drosophila resilin can enhance the mechanical properties of silk, and this study is the first to improve the mechanical properties of silk using proteins other than spider silk, which broadens the possibilities for the design and application of biomimetic silk materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zheng Zhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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Lujerdean C, Baci GM, Cucu AA, Dezmirean DS. The Contribution of Silk Fibroin in Biomedical Engineering. INSECTS 2022; 13:286. [PMID: 35323584 PMCID: PMC8950689 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein (biopolymer) extracted from the cocoons of Bombyx mori L. (silkworm). It has many properties of interest in the field of biotechnology, the most important being biodegradability, biocompatibility and robust mechanical strength with high tensile strength. SF is usually dissolved in water-based solvents and can be easily reconstructed into a variety of material formats, including films, mats, hydrogels, and sponges, by various fabrication techniques (spin coating, electrospinning, freeze-drying, and physical or chemical crosslinking). Furthermore, SF is a feasible material used in many biomedical applications, including tissue engineering (3D scaffolds, wounds dressing), cancer therapy (mimicking the tumor microenvironment), controlled drug delivery (SF-based complexes), and bone, eye and skin regeneration. In this review, we describe the structure, composition, general properties, and structure-properties relationship of SF. In addition, the main methods used for ecological extraction and processing of SF that make it a green material are discussed. Lastly, technological advances in the use of SF-based materials are addressed, especially in healthcare applications such as tissue engineering and cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Lujerdean
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (D.S.D.)
| | - Gabriela-Maria Baci
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (D.S.D.)
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Chen J, Tsuchiya K, Masunaga H, Malay AD, Numata K. A silk composite fiber reinforced by telechelic-type polyalanine and its strengthening mechanism. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00030j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A telechelic-type polyalanine was doped in silkworm silk fibroins to prepare reinforced composite fibers, which exhibited 42% and 51% higher mechanical properties than silk-only fibers in terms of tensile strength and toughness, respectively.
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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
| | - 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
| | - Ali D. Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 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
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