RUI: Molecular Characterization of Tubuliform Silk in the Black Widow Spider

蜘蛛能生产出各种高性能的结构纤维，其机械性能举世无双，可与现代技术生产的最好的合成纤维相媲美。为了制造具有模仿天然丝性能的合成丝，需要完全了解纤维中包含的分子和控制其生产的元素。这些研究将利用多学科方法鉴定组装成卵壳丝（也称为管状丝）的丝蛋白序列，以及鉴定在黑寡妇蜘蛛（Latrodectus hesperus）中调节其表达的调节开关。新的蚕丝基因将通过遗传方法分离，蚕丝蛋白-蛋白相互作用将通过共免疫沉淀和光谱学分析，从而获得关于蚕丝纤维结构特性的新信息。总的来说，这些研究将揭示新的线索，这些线索可以用于大规模生产工业用丝蛋白的表达系统。该计划的广泛影响包括培训研究生，本科生和高中生广泛的现代分子技术和应用。弱势群体和/或未被充分代表的少数族裔本科生将从入门和高级生物和化学课程中招募，通过参与研究获得直接的实验室经验。当地高中生将通过与SEED项目（弱势群体暑期教育体验）的联系被招募到暑期实习，SEED项目是美国化学学会的一个社会拓展项目。社区参与也是研究和教育经验的重要组成部分，因为来自当地社区的个人通过参与收集蜘蛛来了解丝纤维的非凡特性。本项目产生的数据将在科学期刊、当地高中、报纸和研究会议上传播。总之，该研究项目将增强我们对蜘蛛丝生物学的认识，并为不同教育水平的广泛个人提供丰富的培训。该奖项由MCB的基因与基因组系统和生物分子系统共同资助。

Spiders produce a variety of high performance structural fibers with mechanical properties unmatched in the world - comparable to the best synthetic fibers produced by modern technology. In order to manufacture synthetic silks with properties mimicking natural silks, a complete understanding of the molecules incorporated into the fibers and the elements that control their production is required. These studies will utilize a multidisciplinary approach to identify silk protein sequences assembled into egg case silk (also called tubuliform silk), as well as identify regulatory switches that regulate their expression in the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. New silk genes will be isolated using genetic approaches and silk protein-protein interactions will be analyzed using co-immunoprecipitation and spectroscopy, leading to new information about the structural properties of silk fibers. Collectively, these studies will reveal new clues that can be implemented into expression systems for large-scale production of silk proteins for industrial use. Broader impacts of the program include training graduate, undergraduate and high school students in a wide range of modern molecular techniques and applications. Disadvantaged and/or underrepresented minority undergraduate students will be recruited from introductory and advanced biology and chemistry classes, to gain direct laboratory experience through participation in the research. Local high school students will be recruited for summer internships through a connection with the Project SEED (Summer Educational Experience for the Disadvantaged), a social outreach program from the American Chemistry Society. Community involvement also represents a strong component of the research and educational experience, as individuals from the local community learn about the extraordinary properties of the silk fibers through the participation of the collection of the spiders. Data generated by this project will be disseminated in scientific journals, local high schools, newspapers, and research conferences. In summary, the research project will enhance our understanding on spider silk biology and provide rich training for a wide range of individuals at different educational levels.This award is funded jointly by Genes and Genome Systems and Biomolecular Systems in MCB.