Effect of polyamines on mechanical and structural properties of Bombyx mori silk.
Silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori) belongs to the Lepidoptera family. The silk produced from this insect, mulberry silk, gained lot of importance as a fabric. Silk is being exploited as a biomaterial due to its surprising strength and biocompatibility. Polyamines (PA) are important cell growth regulators. In the present work the effect of treatment of polyamines, putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) on the quantity and quality of silk produced was assessed. Results showed that exogenous feeding of Spd at a concentration of 50 µM increased fiber length significantly. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) on the properties of silk obtained from Spd treated silkworms revealed an increase in percentage of absorption with no difference in peak positions of amide I and amide III groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed an increase in diameter of silk. Further, analysis at molecular level showed an increase in fibroin expression in Spd treated silk glands. However, the Spd treatment showed no significant difference with respect to fibroin to sericin ratio per unit weight of cocoon, silk tenacity, and percent elongation. Thus, the present results show that polyamine treatment would influence silk quality at structural, mechanical, and molecular level in the Bombyx mori, which can be exploited in silk biomaterial production.
Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Aparna
A
Yerra
Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Danti Kumari
DK
Mysarla
Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Prasanthi
P
Siripurapu
Department of Chemistry, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Anjali
A
Jha
Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Scientist-Biocare, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Satyavathi V
SV
Valluri
Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. anitha.mamillapalli@gmail.com.
Anitha
A
Mamillapalli
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D011073:Polyamines; D047011:Silk
Biomaterial; Bombyx mori; Polymer; silk fiber; spermidine