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Spider Silk: Biochemistry, Bioprospecting, and Bulletproof Vests

Explore the fascinating world of spider silk, from the biochemistry behind its strength to its potential use in bulletproof vests. Learn about the incredible properties of dragline spider silk and the efforts to produce artificial spider silk through transgenic silkworms. Discover how spider silk could revolutionize industries and inspire new innovations.

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Spider Silk: Biochemistry, Bioprospecting, and Bulletproof Vests

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  1. Spider Goats & Bullet Proof vests Science Nation: Got Silk?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktgACq4zcAU

  2. Biopropecting – Dragline spider silk Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini) of Madagascar - Darwin's bark spider webs as wide as 82 feet (25 meters)—about as long as two city buses. – spans entire river, from bank to bank. Can catch 30 or more prey at a time. - 10 times stronger than kevlar

  3. Biochemistry – Dragline spider silk One of the major components of spider (dragline) silk are spidroins: Spidroin • Huge proteins = 3,000 amino acids • NUMEROUS repeats of amino acids – glycine, alanine and serine • Alanine & glycine are the smallest of the 20 amino acids in a cell. They can pack together closely to form β-pleated sheets. hydrogen bonds See animation of dragline spider silk -

  4. Bioengineering – Dragline spider silk Notre Dame Research: Transgenic Silkworms Spin Artificial Spider Silk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUFxdPVfG38

  5. References: Unraveling the Weave of Spider Silk - http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/life/articles/article1.mhtml The amazing spider silk - http://euchems2010.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/the-amazing-spider-silk/ Tying up spider silk's loose ends - http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2010/May/12051004.asp Spidroin (music) - http://www.whozoo.org/mac/Music/Spidroin.htm Smooth evolution: spider silk proteins - http://www.lucasbrouwers.nl/blog/2010/08/the-smooth-evolution-of-spider-silk-proteins/ A Spider’s Web (problem of the week) - http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/chemistry/mc/pow/chapter24.shtml

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