J.Am.Chem.Soc:研究发现从野蛾茧中抽丝方法
英国研究人员日前报告说，他们找到了能从一些野生蛾类所结的茧中较好地抽出长丝的方法，这样得到的丝在质量上与家蚕丝接近。对于非洲和南美等一些不适合饲养家蚕的地区来说，这也许会为当地丝织业带来机会。
英国牛津大学等机构的研究人员在美国学术期刊《生物大分子》上报告说，一些野生蛾类所结的茧之所以很难抽出丝来，是因为其表面覆有一层较硬的草酸钙。使用乙二胺四乙酸溶液就可以把这些茧软化，再从中抽出长丝。
领导研究的汤姆·盖桑说，实验显示这种方法不仅可以帮助从野蛾茧中抽丝，还不影响这些丝的质量，从野蛾茧中获得的高质量丝可与家蚕丝媲美。
研究人员认为，对于那些不适合饲养家蚕但野生蛾类丰富的地区，如非洲和南美，本次研究成果具有带来一场“野生丝革命”的潜力。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原文出处：
American Chemical Society DOI: 10.1021/bm2003362
Demineralization enables reeling of Wild Silkmoth cocoons
Tom Gheysens , Andrew Collins , Suresh Kumar Raina , Fritz Vollrath , and David P. Knight
Wild Silkmoth cocoons are difficult or impossible to reel under conditions that work well for cocoons of the Mulberry silkmoth, Bombyx mori. Here we report evidence that this is caused by mineral reinforcement of wild silkmoth cocoons and that washing these minerals out allows for the reeling of commercial lengths of good quality fibers with implications for the development of the ‘wild silk’ industry. We show that in the Lasiocampid silkmoth Gonometa postica, the mineral is whewellite (calcium oxalate monohydrate). Evidence is presented that its selective removal by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) leaves the gum substantially intact preventing collapse and entanglement of the network of fibroin brins, enabling wet reeling. Therefore this method clearly differs from the standard “degumming” and should be referred to as “demineralizing”. Mechanical testing shows that such preparation results in reeled silks with markedly improved breaking load and extension to break by avoiding the damage produced b...
