Development and optimization of suture materials from recombinant spider silks

蜘蛛丝具有优异的机械性能，并以其生物兼容性而闻名。达尔豪西大学的雷尼实验室使用一种非致病细菌(大肠杆菌)重组生产了两种类型的蜘蛛丝。除了绕过从蜘蛛身上收获丝所固有的挑战之外，还有两个额外的好处：(1)大肠杆菌非常易于使用分子生物学方法，允许在单个氨基酸水平上直接和直接地修饰蛋白质；(2)蛋白质生产可以很容易地扩大。这些能力将被用来支持与总部位于哈利法克斯的3D BioFibR Inc.合作的技术开发。具体地说，重组丝绸将使用3D BioFibR专有的接触拉伸方法纺制成纤维。然后这些纤维将被加工成适合缝合应用的形式。由此产生的缝合材料将从化学、结构、形态和机械角度进行测试，最有希望用于与Dalhousie外科、微生物和免疫学系的Michael Bezuhly博士进行生物兼容性的临床前试验。作为该项目的结果，3D BioFibR将能够证明其纺丝工艺对重组丝绸的适用性，并将获得为缝合应用量身定做的新型重组丝质材料。这将通过新的材料类别增加公司的竞争力。NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate Grant的另一个成果是，高素质的人员将开发生物材料加工和测试方面的新技能，同时在3D BioFibR与工业科学家直接互动，为直接开发知识转化技能提供了绝佳的机会。

Spider silks have outstanding mechanical properties and are renowned for their biocompatibility. The Rainey lab at Dalhousie University produces two types of spider silk recombinantly using a non-pathogenic strain of bacteria (Escherichia coli). Beyond circumventing the challenges inherent in harvesting silk from spiders, two additional benefits arise: (1) E. coli is extremely tractable to methods of molecular biology that allow direct and straightforward modification of proteins at the level of individual amino acids; and, (2) protein production may readily be scaled up. These capabilities will be leveraged to support technology development in collaboration with Halifax-based 3D BioFibR Inc. Specifically, recombinant silks will be spun into fibres using 3D BioFibR's proprietary contact-drawing methodology. These fibres will then be processed into forms suitable for suturing applications. The resulting suture materials will tested from chemical, structural, morphological, and mechanical perspectives, with the most promising used in preclinical trials for biocompatibility with Dr. Michael Bezuhly from Dalhousie's Departments of Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology.As a result of this project, 3D BioFibR will be able to demonstrate the suitability of its spinning process for recombinant silks and will have access to novel classes of recombinant silk-based materials tailored to suture applications. This will increase the company's competitiveness through new classes of materials. Another outcome of this NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate Grant is that highly qualified personnel will develop new skills in biomaterials processing and testing, while interacting directly with industrial scientists at 3D BioFibR providing an outstanding opportunity for direct development of knowledge translation skills.