J.Am.Chem.Soc:研究發(fā)現(xiàn)從野蛾繭中抽絲方法

英國研究人員日前報(bào)告說,，他們找到了能從一些野生蛾類所結(jié)的繭中較好地抽出長絲的方法,，這樣得到的絲在質(zhì)量上與家蠶絲接近。對于非洲和南美等一些不適合飼養(yǎng)家蠶的地區(qū)來說,，這也許會(huì)為當(dāng)?shù)亟z織業(yè)帶來機(jī)會(huì),。

英國牛津大學(xué)等機(jī)構(gòu)的研究人員在美國學(xué)術(shù)期刊《生物大分子》上報(bào)告說，一些野生蛾類所結(jié)的繭之所以很難抽出絲來,，是因?yàn)槠浔砻娓灿幸粚虞^硬的草酸鈣,。使用乙二胺四乙酸溶液就可以把這些繭軟化，再從中抽出長絲。

領(lǐng)導(dǎo)研究的湯姆·蓋桑說,，實(shí)驗(yàn)顯示這種方法不僅可以幫助從野蛾繭中抽絲,，還不影響這些絲的質(zhì)量，從野蛾繭中獲得的高質(zhì)量絲可與家蠶絲媲美,。

研究人員認(rèn)為,，對于那些不適合飼養(yǎng)家蠶但野生蛾類豐富的地區(qū)，如非洲和南美,，本次研究成果具有帶來一場“野生絲革命”的潛力,。（生物谷Bioon.com）

生物谷推薦原文出處：

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...