STUDIES ON THE FINE STRUCTURE OF SILK FIBROIN

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Abstract
Silk glands of matured tussah silkworms were dipped in 1% acetic acid solution for 2 minutes and drawn to make silk gut. X-ray diffraction patterns of these silk guts were obtained and compared with those of poly-L-alanine fibers. From these results it may say that the presence of αhelical conformation are detected in the silk gut. We also found that the skin of silk gut contained oriented β-form and that the core contained some α-helical conformation. These α-helical conformation changed to β-form upon further drawing.Films of tussah silk fibroin cast after being dispersed with water and dried shows amorphous X-ray patterns with broad rings. It also indicates that some α-helical conformation existed in random coil molecule in silk glands. It is also known that the films show the β-form especially when they are dipped in alcohol or when the solution from which films are prepared are contaminated with haemolyph of the silkworm used.

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