Metal ions guide the production of silkworm silk fibers

Ori Brookstein, Eyal Shimoni, Dror Eliaz, Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri, Itay Carmel and Ulyana Shimanovich ()
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Ori Brookstein: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
Eyal Shimoni: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
Dror Eliaz: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
Itay Carmel: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science
Ulyana Shimanovich: Faculty of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Silk fibers’ unique mechanical properties have made them desirable materials, yet their formation mechanism remains poorly understood. While ions are known to support silk fiber production, their exact role has thus far eluded discovery. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy coupled with elemental analysis to elucidate the changes in the composition and spatial localization of metal ions during silk evolution inside the silk gland. During the initial protein secretion and storage stages, ions are homogeneously dispersed in the silk gland. Once the fibers are spun, the ions delocalize from the fibroin core to the sericin-coating layer, a process accompanied by protein chain alignment and increased feedstock viscosity. This change makes the protein more shear-sensitive and initiates the liquid-to-solid transition. Selective metal ion doping modifies silk fibers’ mechanical performance. These findings enhance our understanding of the silk fiber formation mechanism, laying the foundations for developing new concepts in biomaterial design.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50879-9

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