Researchers from King's College London and San Diego State University have come up with an explanation to how amino acids within spider silk proteins act like 'stickers' and hold the material together as it forms. Their analysis revealed that arginine and tyrosine are the two main amino acids which interact in a specific way that causes the silk proteins to cluster together while causing the amino acids to not disappear as the silk solidifies resulting in the immense strength of spider silk. Additionally, these interactions can also be seen in neurotransmitter receptors and hormone signaling which the researchers believe to have implications related to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. This study stood out to me because it really shows how two different things are more related than previously thought.
Tags: #Alzheimer's #Spiders #ProteinsSources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012210.htm
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2523198122
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