Method for creating cultivated silkworm chromatic cocoon by using pigment protein

Abstract

A colorful silkworm cocoon creation method by pigment protein is disclosed. A pigment protein determining color of coral reed and related marine creature is fusion expressed in bombyx mori silk fibroin by genetic modification of silkworm and especially genetic modification for diapause varieties, so that novel colored silkworm cocoon is created. Exogenous pigment protein is fusion expressed in silk fibroin, and exists stably and uniformly in silk fibroin molecular, so pigment protein will not be lost in silk reeling procedure, and color variety of pigment protein is abundant. The method used by the invention solves two problems of little variety in color of silkworm cocoon and instability in pigment binding, simplifies spinning process of silk fabrics, eliminates harm of dyeing process to silk fiber quality and human health.

Description

Technical field [0001] The invention relates to the fields of biotechnology and bioengineering, in particular to a method for using pigment proteins to create colored cocoons of silkworms. Background technique [0002] Biological bodies can present a variety of colors, thus forming a colorful biological world. The color of organisms mainly depends on two factors: the special optical structure of tissues or organs and the existence of pigment substances, namely structural color and chemical color. The special spatial structure of Bombyx mori silk protein gives the silk a pearl-like luster, and the presence of small molecular pigments makes the cocoons show different colors. It is the inherent excellent characteristics of graceful and elegant luster, light and comfortable touch, good drape and curve of clothes, moderate water absorption, and affinity for human skin that make silk known as the "fiber queen". [0003] Since it is the "queen" in fiber, why does silk fiber not occupy a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] Since it is the "queen" of fibers, why does silk fiber not occupy a large market share among the five major fibers (cotton, linen, wool, silk and man-made fibers)? This is because in addition to its numerous advantages, natural silk also has some shortcomings that cannot be remedied at present: ① most of the silkworm varieties used in sericulture production are white cocoon varieties, and the raw silk reeling needs to be processed before it is used for weaving. Dyeing, while the current silk dyeing technology is not mature enough, it is easy to cause staining, yellowing and embrittlement; ②Since the essence of silk is protein, its heat resistance and light resistance are poor, and ultraviolet radiation and the dyes used in the dyeing process Chemicals such as picric acid can cause the silk color to turn yellow

In addition, regardless of the complexity of silkworm cocoon color formation, even if all the pigments in mulberry leaves can successfully "pass five stages and cut six generals", enter the silk gland and finally form colored silkworm cocoons, for silkworm cocoon color, There are still two key and irreparable problems: ① The pigments in mulberry leaves are limited. Even if they can all enter the silk glands to participate in the formation of colored cocoons, the types of colored cocoons formed can only include yellow-red cocoons and green cocoons at most. All the colors of the cocoon system, and these colors only account for a very small part of all the colors in nature; ② Except for some pigments of green cocoons that exist in silk fibroin, almost all the pigments in natural colored cocoons exist in sericin Among them, sericin only plays the role of protection and adhesion in silk, and is partially lost with degumming during the reeling process. The pigment in it does not contribute to the color of silk fabrics, but becomes a kind of pollution. This is also the main reason why people use white cocoons and eliminate colored cocoons in long-term breed selection

However, the objects and targets of biotechnology research are genes and proteins, and there is nothing to do with general non-protein pigments that have no fixed binding proteins.