1
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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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2
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Shin H, Yoon T, Park W, You J, Na S. Unraveling the Mechanical Property Decrease of Electrospun Spider Silk: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:1968-1975. [PMID: 38414218 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00046] [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: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of electric fields on Nephila clavipes spider silk using molecular dynamics modeling. Electric fields with varying amplitudes and directions were observed to disrupt the β sheet structure of spider silk and reduce its mechanical properties. However, a notable exception was observed when a 0.1 V/nm electric field was applied in the antiparallel direction, resulting in improvements in Young's modulus and ultimate tensile strength. The antiparallel direction was observed to be particularly sensitive to electric fields, causing disruptions in beta sheets and hydrogen bonds, which significantly influence the mechanical properties. This study demonstrates that spider silk maintains its structural integrity at 0.1 V/nm. Possibly, lowering the power levels of typical electrospinning machines can prevent secondary structural disruption. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing silk fiber production and applications using natural silk proteins while shedding light on the impact of electric fields on other silk proteins. Finally, this study opens up possibilities for optimizing electrospinning processes to enhance performance in various silk electrospinning applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchul Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeyoung Yoon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooboum Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Juneseok You
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 31977, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungsoo Na
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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3
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Thagun C, Suzuki T, Kodama Y, Numata K. C-Terminal Domain Controls Protein Quality and Secretion of Spider Silk in Tobacco Cells. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300011. [PMID: 37409415 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300011] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable mechanical strength and extensibility of spider dragline silk spidroins are attributed to the major ampullate silk proteins (MaSp). Although fragmented MaSp molecules have been extensively produced in various heterologous expression platforms for biotechnological applications, complete MaSp molecules are required to achieve instinctive spinning of spidroin fibers from aqueous solutions. Here, a plant cell-based expression platform for extracellular production of the entire MaSp2 protein is developed, which exhibits remarkable self-assembly properties to form spider silk nanofibrils. The engineered transgenic Bright-yellow 2 (BY-2) cell lines overexpressing recombinant secretory MaSp2 proteins yield 0.6-1.3 µg L-1 at 22 days post-inoculation, which is four times higher than those of cytosolic expressions. However, only 10-15% of these secretory MaSp2 proteins are discharged into the culture media. Surprisingly, expression of functional domain-truncated MaSp2 proteins lacking the C-terminal domain in transgenic BY-2 cells increases recombinant protein secretion incredibly, from 0.9 to 2.8 mg L-1 per day within 7 days. These findings demonstrate significant improvement in the extracellular production of recombinant biopolymers such as spider silk spidroins using plant cells. In addition, the results reveal the regulatory roles of the C-terminal domain of MaSp2 proteins in controlling their protein quality and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonprakun Thagun
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto-Daigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Suzuki
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kodama
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto-Daigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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4
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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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5
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Joel AC, Rawal A, Yao Y, Jenner A, Ariotti N, Weissbach M, Adler L, Stafstrom J, Blamires SJ. Physico-chemical properties of functionally adhesive spider silk nanofibres. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:2139-2150. [PMID: 36727424 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01599d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Currently, synthetic fibre production focuses primarily on high performance materials. For high performance fibrous materials, such as silks, this involves interpreting the structure-function relationship and downsizing to a smaller scale to then harness those properties within synthetic products. Spiders create an array of fibres that range in size from the micrometre to nanometre scale. At about 20 nm diameter spider cribellate silk, the smallest of these silks, is too small to contain any of the typical secondary protein structures of other spider silks, let alone a hierarchical skin-core-type structure. Here, we performed a multitude of investigations to elucidate the structure of cribellate spider silk. These confirmed our hypothesis that, unlike all other types of spider silk, it has a disordered molecular structure. Alanine and glycine, the two amino acids predominantly found in other spider silks, were much less abundant and did not form the usual α-helices and β-sheet secondary structural arrangements. Correspondingly, we characterized the cribellate silk nanofibre to be very compliant. This characterization matches its function as a dry adhesive within the capture threads of cribellate spiders. Our results imply that at extremely small scales there may be a limit reached below which a silk will lose its structural, but not functional, integrity. Nano-sized fibres, such as cribellate silk, thus offer a new opportunity for inspiring the creation of novel scaled-down functional adhesives and nano meta-materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Christin Joel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. .,School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Aditya Rawal
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yin Yao
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew Jenner
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicholas Ariotti
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Lewis Adler
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jay Stafstrom
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Sean J Blamires
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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6
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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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7
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Bergmann F, Stadlmayr S, Millesi F, Zeitlinger M, Naghilou A, Radtke C. The properties of native Trichonephila dragline silk and its biomedical applications. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2022; 140:213089. [PMID: 36037764 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk has fascinated mankind for millennia, but it is only in recent decades that scientific research has begun to unravel all its characteristics and applications. The uniqueness of spider silk resides in its versatility, in which a combination of high strength and extensibility results in extraordinary toughness, superior to almost all natural and man-made fibers. Dragline silk consists of proteins with highly repetitive amino acid sequences, which have been correlated with specific secondary structures responsible for its physical properties. The native fiber also shows high cytocompatibility coupled with low immunogenicity, making it a promising natural biomaterial for numerous biomedical applications. Recently, novel technologies have enabled new insights into the material and biomedical properties of silk. Due to the increasing interest in spider silk, as well as the desire to produce synthetic alternatives, we present an update on the current knowledge of silk fibers produced by the spider genus Trichonephila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Bergmann
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah Stadlmayr
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
| | - Flavia Millesi
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Zeitlinger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aida Naghilou
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Christine Radtke
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Jorge I, Ruiz V, Lavado-García J, Vázquez J, Hayashi C, Rojo FJ, Atienza JM, Elices M, Guinea GV, Pérez-Rigueiro J. Expression of spidroin proteins in the silk glands of golden orb-weaver spiders. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:241-253. [PMID: 34981640 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The expression of spidroins in the major ampullate, minor ampullate, flagelliform, and tubuliform silk glands of Trichonephila clavipes spiders was analyzed using proteomics analysis techniques. Spidroin peptides were identified and assigned to different gene products based on sequence concurrence when compared with the whole genome of the spider. It was found that only a relatively low proportion of the spidroin genes are expressed as proteins in any of the studied glands. In addition, the expression of spidroin genes in different glands presents a wide range of patterns, with some spidroins being found in a single gland exclusively, while others appear in the content of several glands. The combination of precise genomics, proteomics, microstructural, and mechanical data provides new insights both on the design principles of these materials and how these principles might be translated for the production of high-performance bioinspired artificial fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Jorge
- Cardiovascular Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor Ruiz
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Lavado-García
- Cardiovascular Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i de Bioprocessos (GECIB), Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Vázquez
- Cardiovascular Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cheryl Hayashi
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA
| | - Francisco J Rojo
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Atienza
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Elices
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gustavo V Guinea
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Pérez-Rigueiro
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Lu Y, Sharma B, Soon WL, Shi X, Zhao T, Lim YT, Sobota RM, Hoon S, Pilloni G, Usadi A, Pervushin K, Miserez A. Complete Sequences of the Velvet Worm Slime Proteins Reveal that Slime Formation is Enabled by Disulfide Bonds and Intrinsically Disordered Regions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2201444. [PMID: 35585665 PMCID: PMC9218773 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202201444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The slime of velvet worms (Onychophora) is a strong and fully biodegradable protein material, which upon ejection undergoes a fast liquid-to-solid transition to ensnare prey. However, the molecular mechanisms of slime self-assembly are still not well understood, notably because the primary structures of slime proteins are yet unknown. Combining transcriptomic and proteomic studies, the authors have obtained the complete primary sequences of slime proteins and identified key features for slime self-assembly. The high molecular weight slime proteins contain cysteine residues at the N- and C-termini that mediate the formation of multi-protein complexes via disulfide bonding. Low complexity domains in the N-termini are also identified and their propensity for liquid-liquid phase separation is established, which may play a central role in slime biofabrication. Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, rigid and flexible domains of the slime proteins are mapped to specific peptide domains. The complete sequencing of major slime proteins is an important step toward sustainable fabrication of polymers inspired by the velvet worm slime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lu
- Centre for Sustainable Materials (SusMat)School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore639798Singapore
| | - Bhargy Sharma
- Centre for Sustainable Materials (SusMat)School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore639798Singapore
| | - Wei Long Soon
- Centre for Sustainable Materials (SusMat)School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore639798Singapore
| | - Xiangyan Shi
- Department of BiologyShenzhen MSU‐BIT UniversityNo. 1 International University Park Road, Longgang DistrictShenzhenGuangdong Province518172P. R. China
| | - Tianyun Zhao
- Functional Proteomics LaboratoryInstitute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*Star)ProteosSingapore138673Singapore
| | - Yan Ting Lim
- Functional Proteomics LaboratoryInstitute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*Star)ProteosSingapore138673Singapore
| | - Radoslaw M. Sobota
- Functional Proteomics LaboratoryInstitute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*Star)ProteosSingapore138673Singapore
| | - Shawn Hoon
- Molecular Engineering LabIMCBA*StarProteosSingapore138673Singapore
| | | | - Adam Usadi
- ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte LtdSingapore098633Singapore
| | - Konstantin Pervushin
- School of Biological ScienceNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore637551Singapore
| | - Ali Miserez
- Centre for Sustainable Materials (SusMat)School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore639798Singapore
- School of Biological ScienceNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore637551Singapore
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10
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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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11
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Proteomic characterization of the fibroin-based silk fibers produced by weaver ant Camponotus textor. J Proteomics 2022; 261:104579. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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12
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Ramezaniaghdam M, Nahdi ND, Reski R. Recombinant Spider Silk: Promises and Bottlenecks. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:835637. [PMID: 35350182 PMCID: PMC8957953 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.835637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider silk threads have exceptional mechanical properties such as toughness, elasticity and low density, which reach maximum values compared to other fibre materials. They are superior even compared to Kevlar and steel. These extraordinary properties stem from long length and specific protein structures. Spider silk proteins can consist of more than 20,000 amino acids. Polypeptide stretches account for more than 90% of the whole protein, and these domains can be repeated more than a hundred times. Each repeat unit has a specific function resulting in the final properties of the silk. These properties make them attractive for innovative material development for medical or technical products as well as cosmetics. However, with livestock breeding of spiders it is not possible to reach high volumes of silk due to the cannibalistic behaviour of these animals. In order to obtain spider silk proteins (spidroins) on a large scale, recombinant production is attempted in various expression systems such as plants, bacteria, yeasts, insects, silkworms, mammalian cells and animals. For viable large-scale production, cost-effective and efficient production systems are needed. This review describes the different types of spider silk, their proteins and structures and discusses the production of these difficult-to-express proteins in different host organisms with an emphasis on plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ramezaniaghdam
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS at FIT – Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nadia D. Nahdi
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS at FIT – Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Ralf Reski,
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13
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Recombinant Proteins-Based Strategies in Bone Tissue Engineering. Biomolecules 2021; 12:biom12010003. [PMID: 35053152 PMCID: PMC8773742 DOI: 10.3390/biom12010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in fracture rates and/or problems associated with missing bones due to accidents or various pathologies generates socio-health problems with a very high impact. Tissue engineering aims to offer some kind of strategy to promote the repair of damaged tissue or its restoration as close as possible to the original tissue. Among the alternatives proposed by this specialty, the development of scaffolds obtained from recombinant proteins is of special importance. Furthermore, science and technology have advanced to obtain recombinant chimera’s proteins. This review aims to offer a synthetic description of the latest and most outstanding advances made with these types of scaffolds, particularly emphasizing the main recombinant proteins that can be used to construct scaffolds in their own right, i.e., not only to impregnate them, but also to make scaffolds from their complex structure, with the purpose of being considered in bone regenerative medicine in the near future.
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14
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Critical role of minor eggcase silk component in promoting spidroin chain alignment and strong fiber formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2100496118. [PMID: 34531321 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100496118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural spider silk with extraordinary mechanical properties is typically spun from more than one type of spidroin. Although the main components of various spider silks have been widely studied, little is known about the molecular role of the minor silk components in spidroin self-assembly and fiber formation. Here, we show that the minor component of spider eggcase silk, TuSp2, not only accelerates self-assembly but remarkably promotes molecular chain alignment of spidroins upon physical shearing. NMR structure of the repetitive domain of TuSp2 reveals that its dimeric structure with unique charged surface serves as a platform to recruit different domains of the main eggcase component TuSp1. Artificial fiber spun from the complex between TuSp1 and TuSp2 minispidroins exhibits considerably higher strength and Young's modulus than its native counterpart. These results create a framework for rationally designing silk biomaterials based on distinct roles of silk components.
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15
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Htut KZ, Alicea-Serrano AM, Singla S, Agnarsson I, Garb JE, Kuntner M, Gregorič M, Haney RA, Marhabaie M, Blackledge TA, Dhinojwala A. Correlation between protein secondary structure and mechanical performance for the ultra-tough dragline silk of Darwin's bark spider. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210320. [PMID: 34129788 PMCID: PMC8205537 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The spider major ampullate (MA) silk exhibits high tensile strength and extensibility and is typically a blend of MaSp1 and MaSp2 proteins with the latter comprising glycine-proline-glycine-glycine-X repeating motifs that promote extensibility and supercontraction. The MA silk from Darwin's bark spider (Caerostris darwini) is estimated to be two to three times tougher than the MA silk from other spider species. Previous research suggests that a unique MaSp4 protein incorporates proline into a novel glycine-proline-glycine-proline motif and may explain C. darwini MA silk's extraordinary toughness. However, no direct correlation has been made between the silk's molecular structure and its mechanical properties for C. darwini. Here, we correlate the relative protein secondary structure composition of MA silk from C. darwini and four other spider species with mechanical properties before and after supercontraction to understand the effect of the additional MaSp4 protein. Our results demonstrate that C. darwini MA silk possesses a unique protein composition with a lower ratio of helices (31%) and β-sheets (20%) than other species. Before supercontraction, toughness, modulus and tensile strength correlate with percentages of β-sheets, unordered or random coiled regions and β-turns. However, after supercontraction, only modulus and strain at break correlate with percentages of β-sheets and β-turns. Our study highlights that additional information including crystal size and crystal and chain orientation is necessary to build a complete structure-property correlation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Zin Htut
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Angela M. Alicea-Serrano
- Department of Biology, Integrated Bioscience Program, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Saranshu Singla
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Ingi Agnarsson
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jessica E. Garb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology ZRC SAZU, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Gregorič
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology ZRC SAZU, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert A. Haney
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA
| | - Mohammad Marhabaie
- The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
| | - Todd A. Blackledge
- Department of Biology, Integrated Bioscience Program, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Ali Dhinojwala
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
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16
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Whittall DR, Baker KV, Breitling R, Takano E. Host Systems for the Production of Recombinant Spider Silk. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:560-573. [PMID: 33051051 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Spider silk is renowned for its impressive mechanical properties. It is one of the strongest known biomaterials, possessing mechanical properties that outmatch both steel and Kevlar. However, the farming of spiders for their silk is unfeasible. Consequently, production of recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) in more amenable hosts is an exciting field of research. For large-scale production to be viable, a heterologous silk production system that is both highly efficient and cost effective is essential. Genes encoding recombinant spidroin have been expressed in bacterial, yeast, insect, and mammalian cells, in addition to many other platforms. This review discusses the recent advances in exploiting an increasingly diverse range of host platforms in the heterologous production of recombinant spidroins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic R Whittall
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Katherine V Baker
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Eriko Takano
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK.
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17
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de C Bittencourt DM, Oliveira PF, Souto BM, de Freitas SM, Silva LP, Murad AM, Michalczechen-Lacerda VA, Lewis RV, Rech EL. Molecular Dynamics of Synthetic Flagelliform Silk Fiber Assembly. MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING 2021; 306:2000530. [PMID: 34539237 PMCID: PMC8445496 DOI: 10.1002/mame.202000530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In order to better understand the relationship between Flagelliform (Flag) spider silk molecular structural organization and the mechanisms of fiber assembly, it was designed and produced the Nephilengys cruentata Flag spidroin analogue rNcFlag2222. The recombinant proteins are composed by the elastic repetitive glycine-rich motifs (GPGGX/GGX) and the spacer region, rich in hydrophilic charged amino acids, present at the native silk spidroin. Using different approaches for nanomolecular protein analysis, the structural data of rNcFlag2222 recombinant proteins were compared in its fibrillar and in its fully solvated states. Based on the results was possible to identify the molecular structural dynamics of NcFlag2222 prior to and after fiber formation. Overal rNcFlag2222 shows a mixture of semiflexible and rigid conformations, characterized mostly by the presence of PPII, β-turn and β-sheet. These results agree with previous studies and bring insights about the molecular mechanisms that might driven Flag silk fibers assembly and elastomeric behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M de C Bittencourt
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Paula F Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Betulia M Souto
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Agroenergy, STN - Brasília, DF, 70297-400, Brazil
| | - Sonia M de Freitas
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of BiologicDral Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campos Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano P Silva
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Andre M Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Valquiria A Michalczechen-Lacerda
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Randolph V Lewis
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Elibio L Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
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18
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Aparicio-Rojas GM, Medina-Vargas G, Díaz-Puentes E. Thermal, structural and mechanical characterization of Nephila clavipes spider silk in southwest Colombia. Heliyon 2020; 6:e05262. [PMID: 33204867 PMCID: PMC7649264 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Some physical properties of spider silks, including mechanical strength and toughness, have been studied in many laboratories worldwide. Given that this silk is organic in nature, composed of protein, and has similar properties to metal wires or polymers, it has the potential for application in medicine, nanoelectronics, and other related areas. In this study, we worked on spider silk from the Nephila clavipes species collected from the wild and kept it in the nursery of the Autonomous University of the West, Cali, Colombia, to determine its physical, thermal, and mechanical properties, seeking possible applications in the medical and industrial sectors and comparing the material properties of the silk from the species from southwestern Colombia with those of the previously studied species from other regions. The mechanical characterization of the material was performed using a universal testing machine; thermal behavior was captured by a thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and mass spectrometry; and structural characterization was performed using diffraction X-rays. The results of the thermal characterization demonstrate that the spider silk loses 10 % of water content at 150 °C with significant changes at 400 °C, while the mechanical characterization indicates that the spider silk is much tougher than Kevlar 49 and Nylon 6 since it is capable of absorbing more energy before rupture.
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19
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Li X, Mi J, Wen R, Zhang J, Cai Y, Meng Q, Lin Y. Wet-Spinning Synthetic Fibers from Aggregate Glue: Aggregate Spidroin 1 (AgSp1). ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:5957-5965. [PMID: 35021824 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Spidroin has the potential of wide applications in the biomedicine field as a natural biomaterial. Various synthetic fibers with outstanding mechanical properties have been produced from different spidroins. However, studies on the structural analysis or biomimetic exploration of aggregate spidroin (AgSp) remain scarce. Here, three recombinant AgSp1 spidroins (1RP, 1RC, 3RP) were constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli, followed by purification via coupling heating and ammonium sulfate precipitation. Circular dichroism (CD) spectrum-based secondary structural analysis shows that 1RP and 3RP have similar structures (mainly random coil) in water and PB buffer, while 1RC is mainly composed of α-helix structure and HFIP can change all of the recombinant AgSp1 into helix structure. Through the wet-spinning method, six types of synthetic fibers were produced from these three recombinant AgSp1 spidroins. Subsequently, the properties and structures of synthetic fibers were characterized by mechanical testing and ATR-FTIR. Synthetic fibers spun from 3RP have considerable tensile strength and extensibility (∼37.56 MPa and ∼4.5%, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first synthetic fiber obtained from AgSp spidroin. Our results demonstrated that AgSp1 can be regarded as an available source of spidroin for silklike fiber production and may provide valuable perspectives on the AgSp1 biomimetic process for certain applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Junpeng Mi
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Rui Wen
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Yuming Cai
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Qing Meng
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Ying Lin
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
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20
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Craig HC, Piorkowski D, Nakagawa S, Kasumovic MM, Blamires SJ. Meta-analysis reveals materiomic relationships in major ampullate silk across the spider phylogeny. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20200471. [PMID: 32993436 PMCID: PMC7536055 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider major ampullate (MA) silk, with its combination of strength and extensibility, outperforms any synthetic equivalents. There is thus much interest in understanding its underlying materiome. While the expression of the different silk proteins (spidroins) appears an integral component of silk performance, our understanding of the nature of the relationship between the spidroins, their constituent amino acids and MA silk mechanics is ambiguous. To provide clarity on these relationships across spider species, we performed a meta-analysis using phylogenetic comparative methods. These showed that glycine and proline, both of which are indicators of differential spidroin expression, had effects on MA silk mechanics across the phylogeny. We also found serine to correlate with silk mechanics, probably via its presence within the carboxyl and amino-terminal domains of the spidroins. From our analyses, we concluded that the spidroin expression shifts across the phylogeny from predominantly MaSp1 in the MA silks of ancestral spiders to predominantly MaSp2 in the more derived spiders' silks. This trend was accompanied by an enhanced ultimate strain and decreased Young's modulus in the silks. Our meta-analysis enabled us to decipher between real and apparent influences on MA silk properties, providing significant insights into spider silk and web coevolution and enhancing our capacity to create spider silk-like materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish C. Craig
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael M. Kasumovic
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sean J. Blamires
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
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21
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Esteves FG, Dos Santos-Pinto JRA, Ferro M, Sialana FJ, Smidak R, Rares LC, Nussbaumer T, Rattei T, Bilban M, Bacci Júnior M, Lubec G, Palma MS. Revealing the Venomous Secrets of the Spider's Web. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:3044-3059. [PMID: 32538095 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Orb-weaving spiders use a highly strong, sticky and elastic web to catch their prey. These web properties alone would be enough for the entrapment of prey; however, these spiders may be hiding venomous secrets in the web, which current research is revealing. Here, we provide strong proteotranscriptomic evidence for the presence of toxin/neurotoxin-like proteins, defensins, and proteolytic enzymes on the web silk from Nephila clavipes spider. The results from quantitative-based transcriptomic and proteomic approaches showed that silk-producing glands produce an extensive repertoire of toxin/neurotoxin-like proteins, similar to those already reported in spider venoms. Meanwhile, the insect toxicity results demonstrated that these toxic components can be lethal and/or paralytic chemical weapons used for prey capture on the web, and the presence of fatty acids in the web may be a responsible mechanism opening the way to the web toxins for accessing the interior of prey's body, as shown here. Comparative phylogenomic-level evolutionary analyses revealed orthologous genes among two spider groups, Araneomorphae and Mygalomorphae, and the findings showed protein sequences similar to toxins found in the taxa Scorpiones and Hymenoptera in addition to Araneae. Overall, these data represent a valuable resource to further investigate other spider web toxin systems and also suggest that N. clavipes web is not a passive mechanical trap for prey capture, but it exerts an active role in prey paralysis/killing using a series of neurotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciele Grego Esteves
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Aparecido Dos Santos-Pinto
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Milene Ferro
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando J Sialana
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Roman Smidak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Lucaciu Calin Rares
- Division of Computational System Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Nussbaumer
- Division of Computational System Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Division of Computational System Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Core Facility Genomics, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mauricio Bacci Júnior
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Gert Lubec
- Paracelsus Medical University, A 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mario Sergio Palma
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, University of São Paulo State (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
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22
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Salehi S, Koeck K, Scheibel T. Spider Silk for Tissue Engineering Applications. Molecules 2020; 25:E737. [PMID: 32046280 PMCID: PMC7037138 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to its properties, such as biodegradability, low density, excellent biocompatibility and unique mechanics, spider silk has been used as a natural biomaterial for a myriad of applications. First clinical applications of spider silk as suture material go back to the 18th century. Nowadays, since natural production using spiders is limited due to problems with farming spiders, recombinant production of spider silk proteins seems to be the best way to produce material in sufficient quantities. The availability of recombinantly produced spider silk proteins, as well as their good processability has opened the path towards modern biomedical applications. Here, we highlight the research on spider silk-based materials in the field of tissue engineering and summarize various two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds made of spider silk. Finally, different applications of spider silk-based materials are reviewed in the field of tissue engineering in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Salehi
- Department for Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Strasse 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany (K.K.)
| | - Kim Koeck
- Department for Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Strasse 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany (K.K.)
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Department for Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Strasse 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany (K.K.)
- The Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces (BZKG), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- The Bayreuth Center for Molecular Biosciences (BZMB), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- The Bayreuth Materials Center (BayMAT), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
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23
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Silk: A Promising Biomaterial Opening New Vistas Towards Affordable Healthcare Solutions. J Indian Inst Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s41745-019-00114-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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24
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dos Santos-Pinto JRA, Esteves FG, Sialana FJ, Ferro M, Smidak R, Rares LC, Nussbaumer T, Rattei T, Bilban M, Bacci Júnior M, Palma MS, Lübec G. A proteotranscriptomic study of silk-producing glands from the orb-weaving spiders. Mol Omics 2019; 15:256-270. [DOI: 10.1039/c9mo00087a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A proteotranscriptomic approach provides a biochemical basis for understanding the intricate spinning process and complex structural features of spider silk proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Franciele Grego Esteves
- Center of the Study of Social Insects
- Department of Biology
- Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro
- São Paulo State University
- Rio Claro
| | | | - Milene Ferro
- Center of the Study of Social Insects
- Department of Biology
- Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro
- São Paulo State University
- Rio Claro
| | - Roman Smidak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- University of Vienna
- Austria
| | - Lucaciu Calin Rares
- Division of Computational System Biology
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science
- University of Vienna
- 1090 Vienna
- Austria
| | - Thomas Nussbaumer
- Division of Computational System Biology
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science
- University of Vienna
- 1090 Vienna
- Austria
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Division of Computational System Biology
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science
- University of Vienna
- 1090 Vienna
- Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Core Facility Genomics
- Medical University of Vienna
- Vienna
- Austria
| | - Maurício Bacci Júnior
- Center of the Study of Social Insects
- Department of Biology
- Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro
- São Paulo State University
- Rio Claro
| | - Mario Sergio Palma
- Center of the Study of Social Insects
- Department of Biology
- Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro
- São Paulo State University
- Rio Claro
| | - Gert Lübec
- Paracelsus Medical University
- A 5020 Salzburg
- Austria
| |
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