Tubuliform Spider Silk Proteins

这项研究的目的是了解管状丝的机械特性及其进化起源。用于形成球织蜘蛛卵囊的管状丝在几个重要方面是独一无二的。 首先，它的序列必须与其他圆织蜘蛛丝非常不同，因为它含有非常不同的氨基酸组成。 其次，它只在蜘蛛一生中很短的时间内产生，就在产卵之前。 最后，其机械性能表现出较高的拉伸强度，但同时承受弯曲而不断裂的能力较低。工作计划是： 1) 将使用来自球织蜘蛛、衍生的球织蜘蛛和穗轴织蜘蛛的四种蜘蛛。 2）收集管状丝纤维用于机械和生物物理测试。 3)构建基因组DNA文库和cDNA文库，对这些文库进行筛选，并对阳性克隆进行测序。 4) 将这些丝蛋白与其他丝蛋白进行比较，以帮助确定蛋白质序列在丝的机械性能和进化路径中所起的作用。 这项研究的更广泛影响涉及公众和学生。 蜘蛛丝代表了生物材料生产的独特答案，其应用范围从防护服到医疗产品再到复合材料。平均每学期有 3-4 名本科生在实验室工作，每年暑假有 2-3 名高中少数民族学生在实验室工作。每年至少向该州的中小学团体和服务俱乐部举办 10 场有关蜘蛛和蜘蛛丝的演讲。每年都会为多家出版物以及电视和广播电台提供信息、图片和视频剪辑，包括 PBS、国家地理、CBS、NBC 等以及来自国外的 BBC 和 CBC。

The goal of this research is to understand the mechanical properties of tubuliform silk and its evolutionary origin. Tubuliform silk, which is used to form the egg case of orb-weaving spider, is unique in several important ways. First, its sequence must be very different from the other orb-weaving spider silks in that it contains a very different amino acid composition. Second, it is produced only for a short period in the spider's life, just before the eggs are laid. Finally, its mechanical properties show a high tensile strength but this is combined with a low ability to withstand bending without fracture. The work plan is: 1) Four species of spiders from a broad section of the orb-weaving, derived orb-weaving and cob weaving spiders will be used. 2) The tubuliform silk fibers will be collected for mechanical and biophysical testing. 3) Genomic DNA libraries and cDNA libraries will be constructed, these libraries screened, and positive clones sequenced. 4) Comparisons will be made between these silk proteins and other silk proteins to help determine the role the protein sequence plays in mechanical properties and the evolutionary path of this silk. The broader impacts of this research involve both the general public and students. Spider silks represent a unique answer to the production of biomaterials for applications ranging from protective clothing to medical products to composite materials. On average 3-4 undergraduates will work in the laboratory every semester and 2-3 high school minority students every summer. At least10 presentations are given each year on spiders and spider silk to elementary and high school groups and service clubs in the state. Information, pictures and video clips are provide each year for several publications and TV and radio stations including PBS, National Geographic, CBS, NBC, etc as well as a number from outside this country, BBC and CBC.