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Silks are protein complexes often with extraordinary mechanical properties even when compared to the best man-made materials. They are intriguing biopolymers that have evolved several times independently in a range of arthropods. Biomimetic analysis of silks and related structural fibrous proteins such as tubulins, elastins, resilins and collagens aim to reproduce these materials for - ultimately - commercial copying and exploitations. Silks that resemble KEVLAR in toughness are produced by spiders at ambient temparature and pressure by feeding a protein feedstock through a specialised (and complex) extrusion duct and die. The full analysis of this process, from the raw pre-protein peptides (and their genes) in the gland cells to the final thread is necessary in order for us to understand this amazing material and its complex hierachical ultrastructure.
Workshops
21-23 June 2002:
Lyon, France
19 - 21 October 2001:
Workshop on assembly, structure and properties of fibrous proteins with emphasis on silk
Villa Olmo, Como, Italy
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Organiser:
- GiulianoFreddiE-Mail
- Stazione Sperimentale per la SetaBiotechnology and Biomaterials departmentMilanoItaly
19 - 22 October 2000 :
Workshop on silk and other fibrous biomaterials
Obernai, France
www.nmr.ethz.ch/silky.html
Organiser:
- Beat H.MeierE-Mail
- ETH ZurichFaculty of Physical ChemistryETH HönggerbergLaboratory for Physical ChemistryZurichSwitzerland
15 - 18 April 1999:
Workshop on general aspects of silks
Jesus College, Oxford, United Kingdom
Organiser:
- FritzVollrathE-Mail
- University of OxfordDepartment of ZoologyOxfordUnited Kingdom
