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Bitar L, Isella B, Bertella F, Bettker Vasconcelos C, Harings J, Kopp A, van der Meer Y, Vaughan TJ, Bortesi L. Sustainable Bombyx mori's silk fibroin for biomedical applications as a molecular biotechnology challenge: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130374. [PMID: 38408575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130374] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Silk is a natural engineering material with a unique set of properties. The major constituent of silk is fibroin, a protein widely used in the biomedical field because of its mechanical strength, toughness and elasticity, as well as its biocompatibility and biodegradability. The domestication of silkworms allows large amounts of fibroin to be extracted inexpensively from silk cocoons. However, the industrial extraction process has drawbacks in terms of sustainability and the quality of the final medical product. The heterologous production of fibroin using recombinant DNA technology is a promising approach to address these issues, but the production of such recombinant proteins is challenging and further optimization is required due to the large size and repetitive structure of fibroin's DNA and amino acid sequence. In this review, we describe the structure-function relationship of fibroin, the current extraction process, and some insights into the sustainability of silk production for biomedical applications. We focus on recent advances in molecular biotechnology underpinning the production of recombinant fibroin, working toward a standardized, successful and sustainable process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bitar
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands; Fibrothelium GmbH, Philipsstraße 8, 52068 Aachen, Germany
| | - Benedetta Isella
- Fibrothelium GmbH, Philipsstraße 8, 52068 Aachen, Germany; Biomechanics Research Centre (BioMEC), Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, University Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Francesca Bertella
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands; B4Plastics, IQ Parklaan 2A, 3650 Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium
| | - Carolina Bettker Vasconcelos
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands; Umlaut GmbH, Am Kraftversorgungsturm 3, 52070 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jules Harings
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kopp
- Fibrothelium GmbH, Philipsstraße 8, 52068 Aachen, Germany
| | - Yvonne van der Meer
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands
| | - Ted J Vaughan
- Biomechanics Research Centre (BioMEC), Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, University Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Luisa Bortesi
- Maastricht University-Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, the Netherlands.
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Bargel H, Trossmann VT, Sommer C, Scheibel T. Bioselectivity of silk protein-based materials and their bio-inspired applications. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 13:902-921. [PMID: 36127898 PMCID: PMC9475208 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.13.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Adhesion to material surfaces is crucial for almost all organisms regarding subsequent biological responses. Mammalian cell attachment to a surrounding biological matrix is essential for maintaining their survival and function concerning tissue formation. Conversely, the adhesion and presence of microbes interferes with important multicellular processes of tissue development. Therefore, tailoring bioselective, biologically active, and multifunctional materials for biomedical applications is a modern focus of biomaterial research. Engineering biomaterials that stimulate and interact with cell receptors to support binding and subsequent physiological responses of multicellular systems attracted much interest in the last years. Further to this, the increasing threat of multidrug resistance of pathogens against antibiotics to human health urgently requires new material concepts for preventing microbial infestation and biofilm formation. Thus, materials exhibiting microbial repellence or antimicrobial behaviour to reduce inflammation, while selectively enhancing regeneration in host tissues are of utmost interest. In this context, protein-based materials are interesting candidates due to their natural origin, biological activity, and structural properties. Silk materials, in particular those made of spider silk proteins and their recombinant counterparts, are characterized by extraordinary properties including excellent biocompatibility, slow biodegradation, low immunogenicity, and non-toxicity, making them ideally suited for tissue engineering and biomedical applications. Furthermore, recombinant production technologies allow for application-specific modification to develop adjustable, bioactive materials. The present review focusses on biological processes and surface interactions involved in the bioselective adhesion of mammalian cells and repellence of microbes on protein-based material surfaces. In addition, it highlights the importance of materials made of recombinant spider silk proteins, focussing on the progress regarding bioselectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Bargel
- Department of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Vanessa T Trossmann
- Department of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christoph Sommer
- Department of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Department of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Material Science and Engineering (BayMat), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Colloids and Interfaces (BZKG), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Center for Molecular Biosciences (BZMB), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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