Document Detail


Fibre science: supercontraction stress in wet spider dragline.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11882884     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Unrestrained spider dragline 'super-contracts' when it is wetted, causing its length to shrink by about half and its diameter to almost double. Here we measure the supercontraction stresses generated upon initial exposure of spider dragline to moisture and find that they are transient, as well as being greater than previously estimated. Our findings cast doubt on suggestions that supercontraction may help to maintain tension in wet webs and could limit the potential load-bearing applications of silk and its analogues.
Authors:
Fraser I Bell; Iain J McEwen; Christopher Viney
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Nature     Volume:  416     ISSN:  0028-0836     ISO Abbreviation:  Nature     Publication Date:  2002 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-03-07     Completed Date:  2002-04-19     Revised Date:  2003-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0410462     Medline TA:  Nature     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  37     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK. c.viney@hw.ac.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Proteins*
Spiders / physiology*
Stress, Mechanical
Water
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Proteins; 7732-18-5/Water

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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