Summary: The thermal and structural analysis of silk fibroin (SF) and silk sericin (SS) blend films reveals that the crystallization of SF is retarded in the presence of SS. Although a phase separation was observed, there might be a strong interaction at the boundary of the SF and SS through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which restricts the conformational transition of SF.
TEM image of the cross‐section of the SF/SS blend (75:25) film (magnification: ×15 000). 相似文献
Sericin peptides and PVA are chemically modified with methacrylate groups to produce a covalent PVA/sericin hydrogel. Preservation of the sericin bioactivity following methacrylation is confirmed, and PVA/sericin hydrogels are fabricated for both B. mori and A. mylitta sericin. Cell adhesion studies confirm the preservation of sericin bioactivity post incorporation in PVA gels. PVA/A. mylitta gels are observed to facilitate cell adhesion to a significantly greater degree than PVA/B. mori gels. Overall, the incorporation of sericin does not alter the physical properties of the PVA hydrogels but does result in significantly improved cellular interaction, particularly from A. mylitta gels.
The availability of natural substances able to fulfill the role of antioxidants in a physiologic environment is important for the development of therapies against diseases associated with excessive production of reactive oxygen species and ensuing oxidative stress. Antioxidant properties have been reported episodically for sericin, a proteinaceous constituent of the silk thread in the cocoons generated by the larvae of the Lepidoptera order. We investigated the sericin fractions isolated from the cocoons spun by the domesticated (Bombyx mori) silkworm. Three fractions were isolated and evaluated, including two peptidoid fractions, the crude sericin and the purified (dialyzed) sericin, and the non-peptidoid methanolic extract of the crude fraction. When subjected to Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, the extract showed much higher antioxidant capacity as compared to the crude or purified sericin fractions. The three fractions were also evaluated in cultures of murine retinal photoreceptor cells (661 W), a cell line that is highly susceptible to oxidants and is crucially involved in the retinopathies primarily caused by oxidative stress. The extract displayed a significant dose-dependent protective effect on the cultured cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In identical conditions, the crude sericin showed a certain level of antioxidative activity at a higher concentration, while the purified sericin did not show any activity. We concluded that the non-peptidoid components accompanying sericin were chiefly responsible for the previously reported antioxidant capacity associated with sericin fractions, a conclusion supported by the qualitative detection of flavonoids in the extract but not in the purified sericin fraction. 相似文献
The crystal structure, thermal properties and growth rates of spherulites of the Tussah silk fibroin, produced upon drying
of the silk taken directly from the lumen which is essentially a poly(L-alanine)polypeptide, are investigated. Depending on casting conditions, spherulites with either αhelical chain conformation
or β parallel sheet structure are produced. The growth rates display a strong positive temperature coefficient, with an apparent
transition, which however cannot be related with the formation of two different crystal structures at this stage.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. 相似文献
