National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China.
Acta Biomater. 2013 Jun;9(6):6974-80. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2013.03.004. Epub 2013 Mar 19.
As an analog of the main protein contained in nacre regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin has a significant influence on the morphology and polymorphic nature of CaCO3 in the biomineralization process. A number of studies have implied that the self-assembling aggregate structure of silk fibroin is a key factor in controlling CaCO3 aggregation. Further insight into this role is necessary with a particular need to prepare silk fibroin aggregates with homogeneous structures to serve as templates for the mineralization process. Here we have prepared homogeneous silk microspheres to serve as templates for CaCO3 mineralization in order to provide an experimental insight into silk-regulated crystallization processes. CaCO3 particles with different nano- and microstructures, and their polymorphs, were successfully formed by controlling the mineralization process. The key function of silk aggregation in controlling the morphology and polymorphic nature of CaCO3 particles was confirmed. A regulating effect of silk on the spatial features was also observed. A two-step process for silk fibroin-regulated biomineralization was found, with different levels of heterogeneous nucleation and aggregation. A full understanding of silk fibroin-regulated biomineralization mechanisms would help in understanding the function of organic polymers in natural biomineralization, and provide a way forward in the design and synthesis of new materials in which organic-inorganic interfaces are the keys to function, biological interfaces and many related material features.
作为珍珠中主要蛋白质的类似物，再生家蚕丝素具有显著影响碳酸钙在生物矿化过程中的形态和多晶性质。许多研究表明，丝素蛋白的自组装聚集结构是控制碳酸钙聚集的关键因素。进一步深入了解这一作用是必要的，特别是需要制备具有均匀结构的丝素蛋白聚集体，作为矿化过程的模板。在这里，我们制备了均匀的丝微球作为碳酸钙矿化的模板，以便为丝调控结晶过程提供实验洞察力。通过控制矿化过程，成功地形成了具有不同纳米和微观结构的碳酸钙颗粒及其多晶型物。证实了丝聚集在控制碳酸钙颗粒形态和多晶型性质方面的关键作用。还观察到丝对空间特征的调节作用。发现丝纤维蛋白调控生物矿化的过程是分两步进行的，存在不同程度的异质成核和聚集。全面了解丝纤维蛋白调控生物矿化的机制将有助于理解有机聚合物在天然生物矿化中的作用，并为设计和合成新材料提供途径，其中有机-无机界面是功能、生物界面和许多相关材料特征的关键。
