Silk fibers amino acid

Silk type Function Proteins (ratio )a Predicted structure from sequence Amino acid (%Y Structure in solution Conformational change in solutione Fiber degree of crystallinity mf Fiber extensibility (%)e... 

Mention has already been made of two polymers that can be obtained naturally from living animals silk (from the silkworm) and wool (from sheep). They are proteins made of various amino acids both are used in textiles. Other biologically derived polymers are also familiar such as wood, starch, and some sugars. We will not cover these in detail here. However, certain cellulosics we will discuss briefly since they are compared to synthetic fibers later. Cellulose is the primary substance of which the walls of vegetable cells are constructed and is largely composed of glucose residues. It may be obtained from wood or derived in very high purity from cotton fibers, which are about 92% pure cellulose. 

Although the amino acid sequence as well as the secondary structure of fibroin differs from those of spidroin, the fibers spun from these proteins, that is, silkworm silk and spider silk have comparable mechanical properties. These may be attributed to the structural characteristics, both at the molecular and filament level. The superior mechanical properties of silk-based materials, such as films, coatings, scaffolds, and fibers produced using reconstituted or recombinant silk proteins, are determined by their condensed structures. 

External hair of animals, generally called wool, was spun into yam and woven into fabrics. Like silk, wool is essentially protein it is composed of various amino acids, a majority of which are keratin. (Unfortunately, the keratin contains sulfur, which attracts certain insects that thrive on wool and contribute to the scarcity of historic woolen fabrics.) The outstanding morphological characteristic of wool fiber is its external scales that overlap in one direction toward the tip of the fiber. The scales can be chemically, mechanically, and temporally damaged and can disappear as the wool deteriorates. Outside of the scales is a membranous layer, the epicuticle inside them is the bulk of the wool fiber, the cortex, which consists of millions of double-pointed, needle-like cells neatly laid... 

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