Protein Behavior Might Hold the Key to Synthetic Silk, College of William and Mary Study

3/6/2012 7:21:23 AM

A trans-Atlantic collaboration of scientists has revealed the structure of a key protein of silk and discovered a previously unknown behavior of this protein: to self-organize into tiny fibrils a single molecule in diameter. This discovery sets the stage for the eventual creation of synthetic silk—not just the luxury fabric that’s a product of silkworms, but also the manufacture of ultra-tough spider silk familiar to fans of the Marvel superhero Spider-Man.

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