Interplay of Different Major Ampullate Spidroins during Assembly and Implications for Fiber Mechanics.

ABSTRACT: Major ampullate (MA) spider silk has fascinating mechanical properties combining strength and elasticity. All known natural MA silks contain at least two or more different spidroins; however, it is unknown why and if there is any interplay in the spinning dope. Here, two different spidroins from Araneus diadematus are co-produced in Escherichia coli to study the possible dimerization and effects thereof on the mechanical properties of fibers. During the production of the two spidroins, a mixture of homo- and heterodimers is formed triggered by the carboxyl-terminal domains. Interestingly, homodimeric species of the individual spidroins self-assemble differently in comparison to heterodimers, and stoichiometric mixtures of homo- and heterodimers yield spidroin networks upon assembly with hu

SUBMITTER: Saric M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11468934 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature