Novel In Silico Analyses of Repetitive Spider Silk Sequences to Understand the Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Fibrous Protein Materials

AbstractAn increasing number of ‘-omics’ datasets, generated by labs all across the world, are becoming available. They contain a wealth of data that are largely unexplored. Not every scientist, however, will have access to the required resources and expertise to analyze such data from scratch. Fortunately, a growing number of investigators is dedicating their time and effort to the development of user friendly, online applications that allow researchers to use and investigate these datasets. Here, we will illustrate the usefulness of such an approach. Using regulation of Wnt7b expression as an example, we will highlight a selection of accessible tools and resources that are available to researchers in the area of mammary gland biology. We show how they can be used for in silico analyses of gene regulatory mechanisms, resulting in new hypotheses and providing leads for experimental follow up. We also call out to the mammary gland community to join forces in a coordinated effort to generate and share additional tissue-specific ‘-omics’ datasets and thereby expand the in silico toolbox.

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Cribellate thread production as model for spider’s spinneret kinematics

Journal of Comparative Physiology A ◽

10.1007/s00359-020-01460-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Margret Weissbach ◽

Marius Neugebauer ◽

Anna-Christin Joel

Keyword(s):

Molecular Structure ◽

Mechanical Properties ◽

Fibre Type ◽

Material Science ◽

Spider Silk ◽

Functional Unit ◽

Material Strength ◽

Spinning Process ◽

Fibre Spinning ◽

House Spider

AbstractSpider silk attracts researchers from the most diverse fields, such as material science or medicine. However, still little is known about silk aside from its molecular structure and material strength. Spiders produce many different silks and even join several silk types to one functional unit. In cribellate spiders, a complex multi-fibre system with up to six different silks affects the adherence to the prey. The assembly of these cribellate capture threads influences the mechanical properties as each fibre type absorbs forces specifically. For the interplay of fibres, spinnerets have to move spatially and come into contact with each other at specific points in time. However, spinneret kinematics are not well described though highly sophisticated movements are performed which are in no way inferior to the movements of other flexible appendages. We describe here the kinematics for the spinnerets involved in the cribellate spinning process of the grey house spider, Badumna longinqua, as an example of spinneret kinematics in general. With this information, we set a basis for understanding spinneret kinematics in other spinning processes of spiders and additionally provide inspiration for biomimetic multiple fibre spinning.

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In Silico Analyses of Rice Thionin Genes and the Antimicrobial Activity of OsTHION15 Against Phytopathogens

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto-06-17-0217-r ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 109 (1) ◽

pp. 27-35

Author(s):

Krissana Boonpa ◽

Suparuk Tantong ◽

Kamonwan Weerawanich ◽

Pawinee Panpetch ◽

Onanong Pringsulaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Activity ◽

Stress Responses ◽

In Silico ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Hyphal Growth ◽

In Planta ◽

Recombinant Peptide ◽

Plant Disease Control ◽

Helminthosporium Oryzae ◽

In Silico Analyses

Thionins are a family of antimicrobial peptides. We performed in silico expression analyses of the 44 rice (Oryza sativa) thionins (OsTHIONs). Modulated expression levels of OsTHIONs under different treatments suggest their involvement in many processes, including biotic, abiotic, and nutritional stress responses, and in hormone signaling. OsTHION15 (LOC_Os06g32600) was selected for further characterization based on several in silico analyses. OsTHION15 in O. sativa subsp. indica ‘KDML 105’ was expressed in all of the tissues and organs examined, including germinating seed, leaves, and roots of seedlings and mature plants, and inflorescences. To investigate the antimicrobial activity of OsTHION15, we produced a recombinant peptide in Escherichia coli Rosetta-gami (DE3). The recombinant OsTHION15 exhibited inhibitory activities toward rice-pathogenic bacteria such as Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and Pectobacterium carotovorum pv. atroseptica, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 112.6 and 14.1 µg ml−1, respectively. A significant hyphal growth inhibition was also observed toward Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense and Helminthosporium oryzae. In addition, we demonstrated the in planta antibacterial activity of this peptide in Nicotiana benthamiana against X. campestris pv. glycines. These activities suggest the possible application of OsTHION15 in plant disease control.

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