Production of Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin Incorporated with Unnatural Amino Acids

Citations Over TimeTop 14% of 2014 papers

Abstract

Silk fibroin incorporated with unnatural amino acids was produced by in vivo feeding of p-chloro-, p-bromo-, and p-azido-substituted analogues of L-phenylalanine (Phe) to transgenic silkworms (Bombyx mori) that expressed a mutant of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase with expanded substrate recognition capabilities in silk glands. Cutting down the content of Phe in the diet was effective for increasing the incorporation of Phe analogues but simultaneously caused a decrease of fibroin production. The azide groups incorporated in fibroin were active as chemical handles for click chemistry in both the solubilized and the solid (fibrous) states. The azides survived degumming in the boiling alkaline solution that is required for complete removal of the sericin layer, demonstrating that AzPhe-incorporated silk fibroin could be a versatile platform to produce "clickable" silk materials in various forms. This study indicates the huge potential of UAA mutagenesis as a novel methodology to alter the characteristics of B. mori silk.

Related Papers

• → Raman spectroscopic characterization of Bombyx mori silk fibroin: Raman spectrum of Silk I(2001)156 cited
• → Silk Fibroin: A Promising Tool for Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration(2021)68 cited
• → The ratio of fibroin to sericin in the middle silk gland of Bombyx mori and its correlation with the extensional behavior of the silk dope(2024)9 cited
• → Effect of Thai Silk Sericin and its Extraction Methods on L929 Mouse Fibroblast Cell Viability(2010)7 cited
• → Monitoring of phase separation between silk fibroin and sericin using various dye system(2015)4 cited