Shear-induced self-assembly of native silk proteins into fibrils studied by atomic force microscopy.
Biomacromolecules
; 13(3): 676-82, 2012 Mar 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22352290
ABSTRACT
Noncontact mode atomic force microscopy was used to investigate native silk proteins prepared in different ways. Low protein concentrations revealed that single protein molecules exhibit a simple, round shape with apparent diameters of 20-25 nm. Shearing the native protein solutions after extraction from the gland and prior to drying led to a beads-on-a-string assembly at the nanometer scale. Protein concentration had a significant effect on the morphology of the protein assemblies. At higher protein concentrations, shear-induced alignment into nanofibrils was observed, while lower concentrations lead to the formation of much thinner fibrils with a width of about 8 nm.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Bombyx
/
Microscopia de Força Atômica
/
Proteínas de Insetos
/
Resistência ao Cisalhamento
/
Seda
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Biomacromolecules
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido