RUI: The Molecular Mechanisms and Mechanical Behavior of Spider Glue Silks

ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1105310 PI: Vierra， Craig ORG: the University of the pacific标题：RUI：蜘蛛胶丝的分子机制和力学行为知识分子优点：蜘蛛制造各种高性能结构纤维，具有优异的机械性能。蜘蛛胶丝是一种由新发现的胶丝蛋白制成的纤维，本项目研究蜘蛛胶丝的分子结构与力学行为之间的关系。这些蜘蛛胶丝与被广泛研究的拖丝有很大的不同，它们具有独特的生化特性，使它们成为大规模合成纤维生产的优秀候选者。提出的研究的主要目的是表征天然和人工纺胶丝纤维的分子和力学性能。核心假设是胶丝蛋白的分子序列已经进化出专门的特征，非常适合用于设计、结构和其他工程应用的可行生物材料。研究天然和人工纺胶丝纤维的分子机理和力学行为，有助于加快下一代工程材料的开发。该研究将为胶丝分子结构与纤维力学性能之间的关系提供新的见解。研究胶丝的分子和机械特性将有助于描述胶丝蛋白序列如何与其独特的生物功能相关，这将有助于深入了解这些丝类型如何能够纺成凝胶基质，从而促进蜘蛛运动和织网。利用原子力和扫描电镜对天然和人造蜘蛛胶丝纤维的纳米结构和力学行为进行了表征。重点还将放在阐明胶丝素的二级和三级结构，PySp1，使用圆二色性，核磁共振和质谱。蜘蛛丝胶蛋白将在酵母中使用异源表达系统进行表达，纯化后纺成人造丝纤维。我们将在纳米水平上对天然和合成蜘蛛胶丝纤维进行表征，以揭示PySp1氨基酸序列中蛋白质模块之间的分子关系及其对黑寡妇蜘蛛胶丝力学行为的贡献。更广泛的影响：拟议研究的更广泛影响包括全面的指导计划，以及向代表性不足的学生群体推广科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的职业。由于这项工作是高度跨学科的，整合了工程学、生物学、化学和物理学，主要研究人员将能够在广泛的学科范围内培养学生。主要研究人员将指导不同教育水平的学生，包括高中、本科和研究生水平的学生。它们还将通过鼓励经济弱势和少数民族学生的参与，促进代表性不足群体的参与。此外，拟议的研究将加强研究和教育的基础设施，通过促进生物、化学、物理部门和工程与计算机科学学院之间的合作和跨学科研究，通过购买由该提案支持的原子力显微镜。本研究成果将广泛传播，以增进对蜘蛛胶丝生物工程潜力的科学认识。拟议研究的结果将通过当地新闻台、广播电台、社区外展计划、科学爆炸STEM计划、科学研究文章以及区域和国家科学会议向社区公布。总的来说，这些研究具有变革潜力，并将为人造蜘蛛胶丝作为环保的下一代材料的利用提供新的方向。

ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1105310 PI: Vierra, Craig ORG: University of the PacificTitle: RUI: The molecular mechanisms and mechanical behavior of spider glue silksINTELLECTUAL MERIT: Spiders manufacture a variety of high performance structural fibers that have outstanding mechanical properties. This project investigates the relationship between the molecular structure and mechanical behavior of spider glue silks, a class of fibers spun from newly discovered glue silk proteins. These spider glue silks differ substantially from the widely studied dragline silks and have unique biochemical properties that make them excellent candidates for large-scale synthetic fiber production. The primary goal of the proposed research is to characterize the molecular and mechanical properties of native and artificially spun glue silk fibers. The central hypothesis is that the molecular sequences of glue silk proteins have evolved specialized features that are well suited for viable biomaterials for design, structural, and other engineering applications. The molecular mechanisms and mechanical behavior of natural and artificially spun glue silk fibers will be studied to help accelerate development of next generation engineering materials. The research should develop new insights into the relationship between the molecular structure of glue silks and its implications on the mechanical behavior of the fibers. Studying the molecular and mechanical properties of glue silks will help delineate how glue silk protein sequences relate to its unique biological function, which will provide insight into how these silk types are capable of being spun into a gelatinous matrix that facilitates spider locomotion and web construction. The nanostructure and mechanical behavior of natural and artificial spider glue silk fibers will be characterized using atomic force and scanning electron microscopy. Emphasis will also be placed on elucidating the secondary and tertiary structure of the glue silk fibroin, PySp1, using circular dichroism, NMR, and mass spectrometry. Spider silk glue proteins will be expressed using a heterologous expression system in yeast, purified and spun into artificial silk fibers. Both natural and synthetic spider glue silk fibers will be characterized at the nanoscale level to reveal the molecular relationship between the protein modules within the PySp1 amino acid sequence and their contributions to the mechanical behavior of glue silks from black widow spiders. BROADER IMPACTS: The broader impacts of the proposed research include comprehensive mentoring programs and promotion of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields to underrepresented student groups. Because this work is highly interdisciplinary, integrating engineering, biology, chemistry, and physics, the principal investigators will be able to train students broadly across a wide-range of disciplines. The principal investigators will mentor students at a variety of different educational levels, including at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate student levels. They will also promote engagement from underrepresented groups by encouraging participation by economically disadvantaged and minority students. Additionally, the proposed research will enhance the infrastructure for research and education by fostering collaborations and interdisciplinary research between the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and the School of Engineering and Computer Science through the acquisition of an atomic force microscope supported by this proposal. The results of the proposed research will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific understanding of the bioengineering potentials for spider glue silks. The findings of the proposed studies will be made visible to the community via local news stations, radio stations, community outreach programs, the Science Blast STEM program, scientific research articles, and regional and national scientific meetings. Collectively, these studies have transformative potential and will provide new directions for the utilization of artificial spider glue silks as environmentally friendly, next generation materials.