Nanoscale Structural Features in Major Ampullate Spider Silk

Biomacromolecules. 2017 Jan 9;18(1):231-241. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b01537. Epub 2016 Dec 21.

Abstract

Spider major ampullate silk is often schematically represented as a two-phase material composed of crystalline nanodomains in an amorphous matrix. Here we are interested in revealing its more complex nanoscale organization by probing Argiope bruennichi dragline-type fibers using scanning X-ray nanodiffraction. This allows resolving transversal structural features such as an about 1 μm skin layer composed of around 100 nm diameter nanofibrils serving presumably as an elastic sheath. The core consists of a composite of several nm size crystalline nanodomains with poly(l-alanine) microstructure, embedded in a polypeptide network with short-range order. Stacks of nanodomains separated by less ordered nanosegments form nanofibrils with a periodic axial density modulation which is particularly sensitive to radiation damage. The precipitation of larger β-type nanocrystallites in the outer core-shell is attributed to MaSp1 protein molecules.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Silk / chemistry*
  • Spiders

Substances

  • Insect Proteins
  • Silk
  • Alanine