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Structure of Animal Silks

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Fibrous Proteins

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2347))

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Abstract

As an abundant fibrous protein, animal silks have received a variety of interests in both traditional and high-tech industries, such as textiles, decoration, and biomedicine, due to their unique advantages in mechanical performance, sustainability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. While developing applications of animal silks, the structure of animal silks has also received more and more attention in these decades. Briefly, most animal silks can be considered as semicrystalline fibers, which are composed of β-sheet nanocrystals and amorphous regions. However, different animal silks have similarities and also have obvious differences at different structural levels. In this chapter, we will introduce the structures of the three most representative animal silks, that is, spider dragline silk, tussah silk, and mulberry silk. The similarities and differences in their structures will be highlighted, so as to provide fundamental guidance for the research and use of these animal silks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China

    Wenwen Zhang & Yimin Fan

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  1. Wenwen Zhang
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  2. Yimin Fan
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Correspondence to Yimin Fan .

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  1. School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China

    Shengjie Ling

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Zhang, W., Fan, Y. (2021). Structure of Animal Silks. In: Ling, S. (eds) Fibrous Proteins. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2347. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1574-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1574-4_1

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

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