Scientists have synthesized an incredibly strong muscle fiber that can also withstand stronger impacts than conventional materials.
The muscle tissue of living beings consists mainlyof three proteins: myosin, actin and titin. The latter is a key component of the connecting filament of the sarcomere, and is a molecule more than 1 μm in length with a molecular weight of 2.5-3 (the largest natural protein known to date). Due to the difficulty of synthesizing such giant proteins in laboratory conditions, scientists have long sought alternative methods for their production for the development of innovative materials and flexible robotics.
Now researchers from the University of Washington atSt. Louis have been able to achieve success using microorganisms. To do this, a team of bioengineers specially developed a strain of bacteria capable of combining small segments of protein into ultra-high molecular weight polymers (about two megadaltons). Then, using wet spinning, the scientists converted individual fibers into strands with a diameter of 10 microns, which is ten times thinner than a human hair.
Subsequent testing of synthetic materialshowed that titin threads are stronger than cotton, silk, nylon, and under certain circumstances can even be more reliable than Kevlar. This fiber has a strength of 378 ± 41 MPa, elongation 47 ± 7% and impact strength 130 ± 15 MJ/m3.
According to the team, the material is sogood mechanical properties, which means it can be used in various fields. For example, for the manufacture of protective combat equipment for soldiers and special clothing, or to use threads for suturing wounds and biomedicine in general.
Scientists say that as volumes increaseproduction, the cost of the protein polymer will be cheap enough for mass use. They have already filed a patent for their microbial synthesis technology, and they plan to use it as a platform for making larger, longer proteins in the future.
We also previously reported on the creation of a new synthetic web that is stronger than steel and Kevlar.
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