Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
Biomacromolecules. 2012 Nov 12;13(11):3475-82. doi: 10.1021/bm3011837. Epub 2012 Oct 15.
Hagfish slime threads, which make up the fibrous component of the defensive slime of hagfishes, consist primarily of proteins from the intermediate filament family of proteins and possess impressive mechanical properties that make them attractive biomimetic models. To investigate whether solubilized intermediate filament proteins can be used to make high-performance, environmentally sustainable materials, we cast thin films on the surface of electrolyte buffers using solubilized hagfish slime thread proteins. The films were drawn into fibers, and the tensile properties were measured. Fiber mechanics depended on casting conditions and postspinning processing. Postsecondary drawing resulted in fibers with improved material properties similar to those of regenerated silk fibers. Structural analyses of the fibers revealed increased molecular alignment resulting from the second draw, but no increase in crystallinity. Our findings show promise for intermediate filament proteins as an alternative source for the design and production of high performance protein-based fibers.
八目鳗黏丝，构成了八目鳗防御黏液的纤维成分，主要由中间丝家族的蛋白质组成，具有令人印象深刻的机械性能，使它们成为有吸引力的仿生模型。为了研究是否可以使用溶解的中间丝蛋白来制造高性能、环境可持续的材料，我们使用溶解的八目鳗黏丝蛋白在电解质缓冲液的表面上浇铸薄膜。将薄膜拉伸成纤维，并测量其拉伸性能。纤维力学性能取决于浇铸条件和纺丝后处理。二次拉伸导致纤维具有改善的材料性能，类似于再生丝纤维的性能。纤维的结构分析表明，由于二次拉伸，分子取向得到了提高，但结晶度没有增加。我们的研究结果表明，中间丝蛋白作为高性能蛋白质纤维设计和生产的替代来源具有广阔的前景。
