title: Continuous production of flexible fibers from transgenically produced honeybee silk proteins.
abstract: Flexible and solvent stable fibers are produced after concentrated recombinant honeybee protein solutions are extruded into a methanol bath, dried, drawn in aqueous methanol, then covalently cross-linked using dry heat. Proteins in solution are predominantly coiled coil. Significant levels of non-orientated ß-sheets form during drying or after coagulation in aqueous methanol. Drawing generally aligns the coiled coil component parallel with the fibre axis and ß-sheet component perpendicular to the fiber axis. The fibres are readily handled, stable in the strong protein denaturants, urea and guanidinium, and suitable for a range of applications such as weaving and knitting.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bayview Avenue, Clayton, VIC 3169, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacinta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Woodhead
authors.forename: Mickey G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Huson
authors.forename: Alagacone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sriskantha
authors.forename: Ilias L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Kyratzis
authors.forename: Tara D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Sutherland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D047011:Silk; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water
keywords: Raman spectroscopy; biomimetics; silk worms; transgenics