Araneoid spiders use specialized abdominal glands to produce up to seven different protein-based silks/glues that have diverse physical properties. The fibroin sequences that encode aciniform fibers (wrapping silk) and the mechanical properties of these fibers have not been characterized previously. To gain a better understanding of the molecular radiation of spider silk fibroin genes, cDNA lib...

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...

Silk Fibroin Papers In article number 2104088, Lei Zhang, Dacheng Wei, and co-workers overcome the intrinsic brittleness of silk films present pure fibroin papers with excellent properties for development “green” electronics. The can be easily engineered to form periodic meshes, electronics prototypes, kirigami-based devices, establishing technological approaches extensive utility in plastic

BACKGROUND In our previous study, we successfully developed 3-D scaffolds prepared from silk fibroin (SF), silk fibroin/collagen (SF/C) and silk fibroin/gelatin (SF/G) using a freeze drying technique. The blended construct showed superior mechanical properties to silk fibroin construct. In addition, collagen and gelatin, contain RGD sequences that could facilitate cell attachment and proliferat...

While fibroin isolated from the cocoons of domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori supports growth of human corneal limbal epithelial (HLE) cells, the mechanism of cell attachment remains unclear. In the present study we sought to enhance the attachment of HLE cells to membranes of Bombyx mori silk fibroin (BMSF) through surface functionalization with an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-containin...

Three–dimensional, microperiodic scaffolds of regenerated silk fibroin have been fabricated for tissue engineering by direct ink writing. The ink, which consisted of silk fibroin solution from the Bombyx mori silkworm, was deposited in a layer-by-layer fashion through a fine nozzle to produce a 3D array of silk fibers of diameter 5 mm. The extruded fibers crystallized when deposited into a meth...

The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori Linn., a lepidopteran molecular model and an important economic insect that are emerging as an ideal molecular genetic resource for solving a broad range of biological problems. The silkworm, B. mori produces massive amount of silk proteins during the final stage of larval development. These proteins are stored in the middle silk gland and they are dischar...

We have cloned a large portion of the P25 gene of Bombyx mori encoding the 25,000 dalton polypeptide which associates with fibroin to constitute the major silk protein. Its structure has been investigated by restriction mapping R-loop analysis, S1 nuclease protection experiments and nucleotide sequencing of the region spanning the 5' end of the gene and its flanking DNA. This has permitted a co...

Chitosan/silk fibroin (CS/SF) blend films were prepared and evaluated for feasibility of using the films as biomaterial for skin tissue engineering application. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated chemical interaction between chitosan and fibroin. Chitosan enhanced β-sheet conformation of fibroin and resulted in shifting of thermal de...

In vitro transcription was reconstituted with HeLa cell transcription factors and RNA polymerase II, which were essentially free from DNA topoisomerase activities. DNA templates with defined negative superhelical densities were tested for transcription activity. Transcription of the Bombyx mori fibroin gene increases and plateaus from templates of increasing superhelicity, and transcription fro...