Ectopic expression of sericin enables efficient production of ancient silk with structural changes in silkworm

Xuedong Chen, Yongfeng Wang, Yujun Wang, Qiuying Li, Xinyin Liang, Guang Wang, Jianglan Li, Ruji Peng, Yanghu Sima and Shiqing Xu ()
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Xuedong Chen: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Yongfeng Wang: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Yujun Wang: Beibu Gulf University
Qiuying Li: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Xinyin Liang: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Guang Wang: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Jianglan Li: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Ruji Peng: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Yanghu Sima: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University
Shiqing Xu: Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Bombyx mori silk is a super-long natural protein fiber with a unique structure and excellent performance. Innovative silk structures with high performance are in great demand, thus resulting in an industrial bottleneck. Herein, the outer layer sericin SER3 is ectopically expressed in the posterior silk gland (PSG) in silkworms via a piggyBac-mediated transgenic approach, then secreted into the inner fibroin layer, thus generating a fiber with sericin microsomes dispersed in fibroin fibrils. The water-soluble SER3 protein secreted by PSG causes P25’s detachment from the fibroin unit of the Fib-H/Fib-L/P25 polymer, and accumulation between the fibroin layer and the sericin layer. Consequently, the water solubility and stability of the fibroin-colloid in the silk glandular cavity, and the crystallinity increase, and the mechanical properties of cocoon fibers, moisture absorption and moisture liberation of the silk also improve. Meanwhile, the mutant overcomes the problems of low survival and abnormal silk gland development, thus enabling higher production efficiency of cocoon silk. In summary, we describe a silk gland transgenic target protein selection strategy to alter the silk fiber structure and to innovate its properties. This work provides an efficient and green method to produce silk fibers with new functions.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34128-5

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