| Abstract Scope |
Proteins reflect one fascinating class of natural polymers with huge potential for technical as well as biomedical applications. One well-known example is spider silk, a protein fiber with excellent mechanical properties such as strength and toughness. We have developed biotechnological methods using bacteria as production hosts. Besides the recombinant protein fabrication, we analyzed the natural assembly processes and we have developed spinning techniques to produce protein threads closely resembling natural silk fibers. To better understand the natural process, we recombinantly co-produced several different spider silk proteins in E. coli. Intermolecular interactions of these proteins in aqueous spinning dopes enabled their self-assembly into higher-order structures. Upon biomimetic spinning, nature-like performing fibers could be obtained concerning all important mechanical features such as tensile strength, elasticity, Young’s modulus as well as toughness. Our findings emphasize the importance of protein interplay for functional complexity, ultimately providing a road map to design green high-performance fibers. |