Sars-Fang Centre, MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China.
Nat Commun. 2022 May 18;13(1):2731. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-30415-3.
Biologically derived and biologically inspired fibers with outstanding mechanical properties have found attractive technical applications across diverse fields. Despite recent advances, few fibers can simultaneously possess high-extensibility and self-recovery properties especially under wet conditions. Here, we report protein-based fibers made from recombinant scallop byssal proteins with outstanding extensibility and self-recovery properties. We initially investigated the mechanical properties of the native byssal thread taken from scallop Chlamys farreri and reveal its high extensibility (327 ± 32%) that outperforms most natural biological fibers. Combining transcriptome and proteomics, we select the most abundant scallop byssal protein type 5-2 (Sbp5-2) in the thread region, and produce a recombinant protein consisting of 7 tandem repeat motifs (rTRM7) of the Sbp5-2 protein. Applying an organic solvent-enabled drawing process, we produce bio-inspired extensible rTRM7 fiber with high-extensibility (234 ± 35%) and self-recovery capability in wet condition, recapitulating the hierarchical structure and mechanical properties of the native scallop byssal thread. We further show that the mechanical properties of rTRM7 fiber are highly regulated by hydrogen bonding and intermolecular crosslinking formed through disulfide bond and metal-carboxyl coordination. With its outstanding mechanical properties, rTRM7 fiber can also be seamlessly integrated with graphene to create motion sensors and electrophysiological signal transmission electrode.
具有优异机械性能的生物衍生和生物启发纤维在各个领域都有极具吸引力的技术应用。尽管最近取得了一些进展，但很少有纤维能够同时具有高延展性和自恢复性能，尤其是在潮湿条件下。在这里，我们报告了一种由重组扇贝贻贝蛋白制成的蛋白质纤维，它具有优异的延展性和自恢复性能。我们首先研究了取自扇贝 Chlamys farreri 的天然贻贝线的机械性能，并揭示了其高延展性（327 ± 32%），超过了大多数天然生物纤维。结合转录组学和蛋白质组学，我们选择了在该线区域中最丰富的扇贝贻贝蛋白 5-2（Sbp5-2）类型，并生产了一种由 Sbp5-2 蛋白的 7 个串联重复基序（rTRM7）组成的重组蛋白。通过应用有机溶剂促进的拉伸工艺，我们生产出具有高延展性（234 ± 35%）和在潮湿条件下自恢复能力的仿生可拉伸 rTRM7 纤维，再现了天然扇贝贻贝线的分层结构和机械性能。我们进一步表明，rTRM7 纤维的机械性能通过氢键和通过二硫键和金属-羧基配位形成的分子间交联高度调节。rTRM7 纤维具有优异的机械性能，还可以与石墨烯无缝集成，以创建运动传感器和电生理信号传输电极。
