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Molecular, Structural and Functional Characterization of Antheraea mylitta Expressed Cocoonase: An Integrative
Nishi Prakash Tiwari1, Jay Prakash Pandey2, Dev Mani Pandey3
1Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, 835215, India.
The Protein Journal
|October 22, 2025
Summary
This study details the cloning and characterization of Antheraea mylitta cocoonase, a protease crucial for silk processing. The research provides insights into its structure and function, paving the way for novel silk degumming applications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Cocoonase is a protease essential for moth emergence, degumming sericin from silk cocoons while preserving fibroin.
- This specific enzymatic activity makes cocoonase a promising candidate for eco-friendly, protein-based silk degumming processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively characterize the molecular, structural, and functional attributes of Antheraea mylitta cocoonase.
- To enable the cloning and expression of the Antheraea mylitta cocoonase gene for further study and application.
Main Methods:
- Cloning and expression of the full-length cocoonase gene in E. coli.
- Extensive in-silico analyses including 3D structure prediction, motif analysis, phylogenetic analysis, TMHMM, InterProScan, STRING protein-protein interaction networks, and ProtScale flexibility predictions.
- Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to observe morphological changes in cocoon sheets upon treatment with recombinant cocoonase.
Main Results:
- The 786 bp full-length cocoonase gene was successfully cloned and expressed, with the sequence deposited in NCBI (Accession ID: ON261685).
- In-silico analyses provided detailed structural insights, classifying cocoonase as a serine-type endopeptidase with predicted extracellular localization.
- The recombinant cocoonase demonstrated efficacy in altering cocoon sheet morphology, confirming its degumming potential.
Conclusions:
- This study reports the first successful cloning, expression, and comprehensive in-silico characterization of the Antheraea mylitta cocoonase gene.
- The findings highlight the potential of Antheraea mylitta cocoonase as a valuable enzyme for sustainable silk degumming applications.
