Silk Proteins: Designs from Nature with Multipurpose Utility and Infinite Future Possibilities.

Abstract

This is a Perspective on nature as a story-teller, where inputs of evolution drove the remarkable protein designs found in silks. This selection process has resulted in silk materials with novel chemistry and properties to support organism survival in nature, yet with newfound utility in everything from comic books and automobiles to medicine. With growing global concerns related to environmental health, silks also serve as an invaluable instructional guide to the future of sustainable material designs.