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Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Silk from Spider Draglines, Capture-Web Spirals, and Silkworms

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Biotechnology of Silk

Part of the book series: Biologically-Inspired Systems ((BISY,volume 5))

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of silk proteins usually shows segmented nanofibers, or fields of globules, or both. The sizes of the globules are similar to the sizes of the segments in the nanofibers. These structures are seen in silk proteins from both spider dragline silk and silkworm silk from Bombyx mori. Nanoindentation by AFM has been used to measure elastic properties of silk and reconstituted silk structures. Force spectroscopy has been done on two spider silks, giving saw-tooth force-vs-distance curves (force spectra) with both silks. A molecular construct of spider dragline silk gave single-molecule force spectra consistent with the unzipping of successive repeated domains containing β-sheet and helical amino-acid repeats. Native capture-silk force spectra showed an exponential increase in rupture forces as the pulling distance increased. This exponential force increase was modeled as a network of springs. Basic information about atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy are also presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA

    Helen Greenwood Hansma

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  1. Helen Greenwood Hansma
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Correspondence to Helen Greenwood Hansma .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan

    Tetsuo Asakura

  2. Entomology, University California - Riverside, Riverside, California, USA

    Thomas Miller

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Hansma, H.G. (2014). Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Silk from Spider Draglines, Capture-Web Spirals, and Silkworms. In: Asakura, T., Miller, T. (eds) Biotechnology of Silk. Biologically-Inspired Systems, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7119-2_7

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