Title: Fibroin
CAS Registry Number: 9007-76-5
Literature References: Protein filaments produced by members of the phylum Arthropoda, particularly by certain species belonging to the classes Insecta (insects) and Arachnida (spiders, etc.). Fibroin is the main protein of silk and is secreted by the insect in its silk glands together with sericin, the second silk protein, in aq soln and converted into silk by a process called "spinning." Organization of amino acid sequences in silk fibroin of Bombyx mori and general review of silk proteins: F. Lucas, K. M. Rudall in Comprehensive Biochemistry vol. 26B, M. Florkin, E. M. Stotz, Eds. (Elsevier, New York, 1968) pp 475-558. See also P. M. Lizardi, Cell 18, 581 (1979); L. P. Gage, R. F. Manning, J. Biol. Chem. 255, 9444 (1980). Chemical and crystalline structures: B. Lotz, F. Colonna Cesari, Biochimie 61, 205 (1979).
Properties: Pale yellow mass resembling silk. Insol in water, alcohol, ether, dil alkalies. Sol in concd alkalies, concd mineral acids and in ammoniacal nickel oxide soln. |