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Related Concept Videos

Multi-species Conserved Sequences02:51

Multi-species Conserved Sequences

Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scale  studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
Globular and Fibrous Proteins02:21

Globular and Fibrous Proteins

Many proteins can be classified into two distinct subtypes - globular or fibrous. These two types differ in their shapes and solubilities.
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Polytene Chromosomes02:04

Polytene Chromosomes

Polytene chromosomes are giant interphase chromosomes with several DNA strands placed side by side. They were discovered in the year 1881 by Balbiani in salivary glands, intestine, muscles, malpighian tubules, and hypoderm of larvae Chironomus plumosus. Hence, these are also called "Salivary gland chromosomes." These are found in insects of the order Diptera and Collembola; in certain organs of mammals; and synergids, antipodes of flowering plants. Polytene chromosomes are also regularly...
Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
Fibrous Proteins00:55

Fibrous Proteins

Fibrous proteins are either long and narrow proteins or assemble to form long and thin structures. They contain repetitive units and usually consist of either alpha helices or beta sheets and, in rare cases, a mix of both. The amino acids in the primary structure often consist of repeating amino acid sequences. The role of fibrous proteins is primarily structural. Many are located in the extracellular matrix and are present in connective tissues to impart strength and joint mobility. They are...
Chromosome Structure02:40

Chromosome Structure

A functional eukaryotic chromosome must contain three elements: a centromere, telomeres, and numerous origins of replication.
The centromere is a DNA sequence that links sister chromatids. This is also where kinetochores, protein complexes to which spindle microtubules attach, are constructed after the chromosome is replicated. The kinetochores allow the spindle microtubules to move the chromosomes within the cell during cell division.
Telomeres consist of non-coding repetitive nucleotide...

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Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
09:47

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands

Published on: January 11, 2011

Piriform spider silk sequences reveal unique repetitive elements.

David J Perry1, Daniela Bittencourt, Jessica Siltberg-Liberles

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 821071-3944, United States, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, EMBRAPA Western Amazonia, Manaus, AM, Brazil, and Laboratory of Gene Transfer, Biotechnology Unit, EMBRAPA Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.

Biomacromolecules
|October 20, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers characterized piriform silk proteins from orb-weaving spiders, revealing new repetitive motifs essential for web attachment. This study enhances understanding of spider silk

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Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
13:36

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale

Published on: July 18, 2012

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Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
09:47

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands

Published on: January 11, 2011

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
13:36

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale

Published on: July 18, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Orb-weaving spider silks are complex protein fibers with unique mechanical properties.
  • These properties arise from repetitive amino acid motifs within large silk fibroin proteins.
  • Piriform silk, crucial for web attachment, remained uncharacterized among orb-weaver silks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the piriform silk protein from three orb-weaver species.
  • To identify novel repetitive amino acid motifs within piriform silk.
  • To understand the evolutionary relationships of piriform silk proteins.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of piriform silk protein cDNAs from three spider species.
  • Deduction of amino acid sequences and identification of repetitive motifs.
  • Northern blot analysis to determine mRNA size and expression location.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of C-terminal regions.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of two novel repetitive motifs: an alternating proline motif and a glutamine-rich motif.
  • Identification of large (>200 amino acids), homogenized repetitive segments within species.
  • Demonstration of conserved repetitive motifs across species.
  • Confirmation of piriform silk mRNA size (>11 kb) and exclusive expression in piriform glands.
  • Phylogenetic analysis confirmed piriform sequences as a distinct ortholog group.

Conclusions:

  • Piriform silk proteins possess unique repetitive motifs contributing to their function in web attachment.
  • Sequence conservation across species highlights the functional importance of these motifs.
  • Piriform silk represents a distinct evolutionary lineage within spidroins.