Further development of silk sericin as a biomaterial: comparative investigation of the procedures for its isolation from Bombyx mori silk cocoons

Ca2+binding induces self-assembly of sericin into a nanofibrous network and the subsequent mineralization for promoting osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

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Green synthesis of silk sericin-embedded silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial application against multidrug-resistant pathogens

Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ◽

10.1186/s43141-021-00176-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Md. Abdullah Al Masud ◽

Hamid Shaikh ◽

Md. Shamsul Alam ◽

M. Minnatul Karim ◽

M. Abdul Momin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Silver Nanoparticles ◽

Green Synthesis ◽

Bombyx Mori ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Visible Spectroscopy ◽

Silk Sericin ◽

X Ray ◽

Synthesis Strategy ◽

Uv Visible ◽

Multidrug Resistant Pathogens

Abstract Background The green synthesis strategy of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has become popular due to being environmentally friendly. Stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been synthesized by natural products such as starch, soy protein, various extract of leaves, barks, and roots functioning both as reducing and stabilizing agents. Likewise, silk sericin (SS) is a globular protein discarded in the silk factory might be used for NP synthesis. In this research, we focus on the green synthesis and stabilization of AgNPs by SS as well as assessment of their antibacterial activities against some drug-resistant pathogen. Results SS was extracted from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons in an aqueous medium. 17 w/w% of dry sericin powder with respect to the cocoon’s weight was obtained by freeze-drying. Furthermore, AgNPs conjugated to sericin, i.e., SS-capped silver nanoparticles (SS-AgNPs) were synthesized by easy, cost-effective, and environment-friendly methods. The synthesized SS-AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction measurement. It has been found from the absorbance of UV-visible spectroscopy that a higher percent of SS-AgNPs was obtained at a higher concentration of silver nitrate solution. FTIR-ATR spectra showed that the carboxylate groups obtained from silk sericin act as a reducing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, while NH2+ and COO− act as a stabilizer of AgNPs. The X-ray diffractogram of SS-AgNPs was quite different from AgNO3 and sericin due to a change in the crystal structure. The diameter of AgNPs was around 20–70 nm observed using TEM. The synthesized SS-AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant pathogens, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations against E. coli and P. aeruginosa were 20μg/mL. Conclusions This study encourages the use of Bombyx mori for the ecofriendly synthesis of SS-AgNPs to control multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

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Oxygen Permeability of Silk Fibroin Hydrogels and Their Use as Materials for Contact Lenses: A Purposeful Analysis

Gels ◽

10.3390/gels7020058 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 58

Author(s):

Traian V. Chirila

Keyword(s):

Tissue Engineering ◽

Bombyx Mori ◽

Silk Fibroin ◽

Biomedical Applications ◽

Oxygen Permeability ◽

Contact Lenses ◽

The Past ◽

Fibrous Protein ◽

Silk Moth ◽

Bombyx Mori Silk

Fibroin is a fibrous protein that can be conveniently isolated from the silk cocoons produced by the larvae of Bombyx mori silk moth. In its form as a hydrogel, Bombyx mori silk fibroin (BMSF) has been employed in a variety of biomedical applications. When used as substrates for biomaterial-cells constructs in tissue engineering, the oxygen transport characteristics of the BMSF membranes have proved so far to be adequate. However, over the past three decades the BMSF hydrogels have been proposed episodically as materials for the manufacture of contact lenses, an application that depends on substantially elevated oxygen permeability. This review will show that the literature published on the oxygen permeability of BMSF is both limited and controversial. Additionally, there is no evidence that contact lenses made from BMSF have ever reached commercialization. The existing literature is discussed critically, leading to the conclusion that BMSF hydrogels are unsuitable as materials for contact lenses, while also attempting to explain the scarcity of data regarding the oxygen permeability of BMSF. To the author’s knowledge, this review covers all publications related to the topic.

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