Protein Materials Project

Biomaterials, with their reproducible and biodegradable nature, are promising alternative materials for a sustainable society. Spider silk, which has a strength exceeding that of steel, an elasticity comparable to nylon and an unsurpassed toughness, is attracting attention as one of the promising candidates for biomaterials, and industrial applications are beginning to emerge. This project aims to elucidate the constitutive mechanisms of protein materials such as spider silk through omics analysis, molecular biology and materials science, and to enable the design and modification of protein materials for various applications.

Publication

1. Science Advances. 8(41):eabo6043.(2022)
2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 118(31):e2107065118.(2021)
3. Open Biol.11(12):210242.(2021)
4. Zoological Lett. 7(1):11.(2021)
5. Science Advance.6(45):eabb6030.(2020)
6. Polymer Journal. 52:1043-1056.(2020)
7. Scientific Reports. 9(1):8380.(2020)
8. J Proteomics. 239:104195. (2021)
9. Genome Biol Evol. 13(12):evab281.(2021)
10. Mol Ecol Resour. 16(3):662-72.(2016)

Kazuharu Arakawa
Director General, Professor

Keiji Numata
Project Professor　　

Naoto Yoshinaga
Project Research Associate　

Yasuha Watanabe
Visiting Project Researcher