2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Characterization and formation of coiled-coil structure in the silk produced by hornet larvae
| Project/Area Number |
21580072
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Applied entomology
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| Research Institution | National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences |
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Principal Investigator |
KAMEDA Tsunenori 独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所, 新機能素材研究開発ユニット, 主任研究員 (70334042)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2009 – 2011
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| Keywords | シルク / スズメバチ / タンパク質 / 高次構造 / コイルドコイル / ゲル / フィルム / 昆虫素材 |
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| Research Abstract |
Hornet silks, fibrous proteins present in the cocoon produced by the larvae of vespa species, are composed of four major proteins. Complete amino acid sequences of the four major proteins(Vssilk 1-4) in the hornet silk produced by the yellow hornet(Vespa simillima, Vespinae, Vespidae) have been determined. The amino acid sequences in Vssilk 1-4 are highly divergent, but the four proteins have some common properties. The most attractive feature of these proteins is that they have anα-helix region, which includes coiled-coilα-helices, and aβ-sheet region. The aforementioned coiled-coil andβ-sheet structures are responsible for the intermolecular binding between the Vssilk 1-4 proteins that make up the composite structure in hornet silk. This coiled-coil structure is restored when hornet silk gel films are formed by pressing and drying hornet silk hydrogel.
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