title: Spider silk: from soluble protein to extraordinary fiber.
abstract: Spider silks outrival natural and many synthetic fibers in terms of their material characteristics. In nature, the formation of a solid fiber from soluble spider silk proteins is the result of complex biochemical and physical processes that take place within specialized spinning organs. Herein, we present natural and artificial silk production processes, from gene transcription to silk protein processing and finally fiber assembly. In-vivo and in-vitro findings in the field of spider silk research are the basis for the design of new proteins and processing strategies, which will enable applications of these fascinating protein-based materials in technical and medical sciences.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Biomaterialien, Fakultät für Angewandte Naturwissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keerl
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scheibel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015202:Protein Engineering; D047011:Silk / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D013112:Spiders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D047011:Silk