HIERARCHICAL ASSEMBLY OF SPIDER SILK PROTEINS: EXPLORING STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY OF BIOMATERIALS FROM THE ATOMIC TO THE MESOSCALE
Abstract
The ability to mimic the true hierarchical assembly of natural biomaterials in the lab remains a significant challenge. A major knowledge gap lies in our understanding of how the different length scales connect from the atomic to the macroscopic. Using an optical light microscope, one can readily observe length scales from the micron to the macroscale. However, connecting the atomic, molecular and nanoscales and the interplay between them is far more challenging in the context of biomaterials formation and performance. We aim to track the atomic, molecular and nanoscale assembly process of protein-based materials using spider silk as our target system. Spider silk is one of the Holy Grails of materials science, exhibiting mechanical properties that rival high tensile steel and toughness that surpasses Kevlar®, the polymer used to fabricate bullet-proof vests. The grand goal of this work is to probe and mimic the structural and dynamical features and events responsible for natural materials assembly. We stress that this is envisioned as setting the stage for a new field of enquiry, namely, the Structural Biology of Biomaterials. One of the critical difficulties for mimicking spider silk formation in a laboratory or industrial setting stems from a lack of understanding across multiple length scales for the biological and biochemical processes that converts the protein-rich fluid in spider silk glands to the insoluble fibers observed in webs. Native and recombinant spider silk proteins and fibers will be investigated with a cutting-edge combination of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) coupled with dynamic light scattering (DLS), IR-microscopy, microrheology and modeling. Here, spider silk serves as a model system with which we have extensive experience and represents one of the premiere natural materials that could have broad technological and DOD impact.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2021
- Source ID
- FA95502010103
Entities
People
- Gregory Holland
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- United States Air Force