Since thousands of years humans have utilized insect silks for their own benefit and comfort. The most famous example is the use of reeled silkworm silk from Bombyx mori to produce textiles. In contrast, despite the more promising properties of their silk, spiders have not been domesticated for large-scale or even industrial applications, since farming the spiders is not commercially viable due...

objective: one of the major issues in bone tissue engineering is the design and fabrication of bioactive, bioresorbable porous 3d scaffolds capable of maintaining their structure and integrity over a predictable period of time. one such approach is the fabrication of composite scaffolds. methods: in this study we present fabrication and characterization of novel silk/bioglass-composite scaffold...

This study investigated whether elevated host immune capacity can inhibit T. gondii infection. For this purpose, we used silk protein extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons as a natural supplement to augment immune capacity. After silk protein administration to BALB/c mice for 6 weeks, ratios of T lymphocytes (CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells) and splenocyte proliferative capacities in response to Con A o...

Silk Fibroin-Coated Mg Implants for Bone Repair Engineering In article number 2101724, Hui Fang, Chenxi Wang, and co-workers demonstrate an effective O2/N2 hybrid plasma activation technology to modify alloy, achieving a robust organic protein/inorganic metal interface. The silk fibroin-coated implants possess significantly improved adhesion, anti-corrosion biocompatibility, which expands the b...

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess a new chimeric protein consisting of a fusion protein of the consensus repeat for Nephila clavipes spider dragline protein and bone sialoprotein (6mer+BSP). The elastic modulus of this protein in film form was assessed through force curves, and film surface roughness was also determined. The results showed a significant difference among the elast...

Here, we demonstrate the first successful isotope labeling of Ala carbons in hornet silk produced by the larvae of Vespa (Vespinae, Vespidae) mandarinia. This labeled hornet silk was examined by high-resolution 13C solid-state NMR, and it was found that the fraction of Ala residues in a-helical conformations compared with Ala residues in the overall conformation of hornet silk can be quantitati...

In response to pollination maize silks undergo an accelerated process of senescence which involves an inhibition of elongation. To gain insight into the mechanism underlying this growth response, the relationships among silk elongation kinetics, cell wall biophysical properties, pollen tube growth, and expansin protein abundance were investigated. The inhibition of silk elongation became appare...

Neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements of ultrathin surface films (below 30 nm) composed of Bombyx mori silk fibroin protein in combination with atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry were used to reveal the internal structural organization in both dry and swollen states. Reconstituted aqueous silk solution deposited on a silicon substrate using the spin-assisted layer-by-layer (SA-LbL) tec...

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel (Panel) reviewed the safety of 10 silk protein ingredients, which function primarily as skin and hair conditioning agents and bulking agents in cosmetic products. The Panel reviewed relevant data relating to the safety of these ingredients and concluded that 8 ingredients are safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics, a...

We investigated the natural variation in silk composition and mechanical performance of the orb-weaving spider Argiope trifasciata at multiple spatial and temporal scales in order to assess how protein composition contributes to the remarkable material properties of spider dragline silk. Major ampullate silk in orb-weaving spiders consists predominantly of two proteins (MaSp1 and MaSp2) with di...