Unexpected behavior of irradiated spider silk links conformational freedom to mechanical performance

Perea Abarca, Gracia Belén and Solanas, Concepción and Plaza Baonza, Gustavo Ramón and Guinea Tortuero, Gustavo V. and Jorge, Inmaculada and Vázquez Minguela, Jesús and Pérez Mateos, Jorge and Marí Buyé, Nuria and Elices Calafat, Manuel and Pérez Rigueiro, José (2015). Unexpected behavior of irradiated spider silk links conformational freedom to mechanical performance. "Soft Matter", v. 11 (n. 24); pp. 4868-4878. ISSN 1744-683X. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5sm00395d.

Description

Title: Unexpected behavior of irradiated spider silk links conformational freedom to mechanical performance
Author/s:
  • Perea Abarca, Gracia Belén
  • Solanas, Concepción
  • Plaza Baonza, Gustavo Ramón
  • Guinea Tortuero, Gustavo V.
  • Jorge, Inmaculada
  • Vázquez Minguela, Jesús
  • Pérez Mateos, Jorge
  • Marí Buyé, Nuria
  • Elices Calafat, Manuel
  • Pérez Rigueiro, José
Item Type: Article
Título de Revista/Publicación: Soft Matter
Date: May 2015
ISSN: 1744-683X
Volume: 11
Subjects:
Faculty: Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB) (UPM)
Department: Ciencia de los Materiales
Creative Commons Licenses: Recognition - No derivative works - Non commercial

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Abstract

Silk fibers from Argiope trifasciata and Nephila inaurata orb-web weaving spiders were UV irradiated to modify the molecular weight of the constituent proteins. Fibers were characterized either as forcibly silked or after being subjected to maximum supercontraction. The effect of irradiation on supercontraction was also studied, both in terms of the percentage of supercontraction and the tensile properties exhibited by irradiated and subsequently supercontracted fibers. The effects of UV exposure at the molecular level were assessed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. It is shown that UV-irradiated fibers show a steady decrease in their main tensile parameters, most notably, tensile strength and strain. The combination of the mechanical and biochemical data suggests that the restricted conformational freedom of the proteins after UV irradiation is critical in the reduction of these properties. Consequently, an adequate topological organization of the protein chains emerges as a critical design principle in the performance of spider silk.

Funding Projects

Type
Code
Acronym
Leader
Title
Government of Spain
MAT2012-38412-C02-01
Unspecified
Unspecified
Unspecified
Madrid Regional Government
S2011/BMD-2460
Unspecified
Unspecified
Unspecified

More information

Item ID: 41139
DC Identifier: https://oa.upm.es/41139/
OAI Identifier: oai:oa.upm.es:41139
DOI: 10.1039/c5sm00395d
Official URL: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2015...
Deposited by: Memoria Investigacion
Deposited on: 25 Apr 2017 16:44
Last Modified: 30 Nov 2022 09:00
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