Bioprospecting and Structural Analysis of the Silk Proteins of Arthropods by a Proteomics Approach Using nanoLC-ESI-CID/ETD System

Abstract

The silk produced by Arthropods is characterized by diversity of its chemical composition, structure and function. The silk proteins have interesting relationships between their 3-D structures and mechanical properties of these protein fibers, with an exceptional combination of tensile strength and extensibility. Thus, these proteins have attracted the interest in their exploration and bioprospecting applications, offering a great potential in biomedical applications and textile industry. The Bombix mori silk and Nephila spiders silk have been extensively studied. However, some insects also produce silk that have not been fully explored as biomaterials, such as the silk produced by weaver ants Camponotus. Studies have shown that silk produced by these ants is an interesting natural product to be investigated with a biotechnological applicability. However, few or no study using a proteomic approach has been performed to understand the structure-function relationship and interaction between the silk proteins produced by arthropods. The post-translational modifications, for example, allow an activities diversification of the proteins encoded by all organisms increasing significantly the diversity and complexity of the proteome. A structural characterization of proteins by a proteomic approach as it is intended in this study may be performed using a combination of sophisticated and sensitive technologies such as 2D-SDS-PAGE, shotgun strategy, high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Thus, performing a chemical prospecting in a systematic way, it will possible to obtain information on the structural and chemical properties of silk proteins produced by ant Camponotus textor, allowing its development in biotechnological applications. This study will continue the study of bioprospecting and analysis of arthropod silk proteins started with the Nephila clavipes spider and has previously performed by our group by the BIOprospecTA/FAPESP program (Proc. 2011/51684-1).