X-ray diffraction on spider silk during controlled extrusion under a synchrotron radiation X-ray beam.

Riekel C, Madsen B, Knight D, Vollrath F

The structure of a single thread of Nephila edulis silk has been studied by in situ X-ray diffraction from a living spider. A systematic increase of orientational order with increasing silking speed up to 40 mm s-1 was observed. Within a few mm from the spinnerets exit, crystalline domains with a beta-poly(L-alanine) structure were observed. The data also suggest an increase in crystalline fraction in the immediate vicinity of the spigot exit.

Keywords:

Algorithms

,

Animals

,

Crystallography, X-Ray

,

Insect Proteins

,

Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

,

Silk

,

Spiders

,

Synchrotrons

,

Tensile Strength

,

X-Rays