[Quaternary structure formation by recombinant analogues of spider silk].

ABSTRACT

A study has been conducted on the morphology of artificial spider silk fibers, prepared from recombinant analogues of spiridons 1 and 2. It has been shown that by stretching out the "as spun" fiber, a reorganization of its spongy matrix occurs, which leads to the formation of microfibrills, followed by a reduction of the diameter of the fiber. The durability of an artificial fiber depends on the degree of stretching and on the substructure of the microfibrills. The model process of artificial fibers preparation reproduces to the great detail the natural process of spider web spinning. Future applications of this model include production of biomaterials with unique properties.