Control of the gelation process of silk fibroin solution

In the present study, silk fibroin solution was controlled through a simple shearing to accomplish the steady and rapid gelation process and the conformational transition. Antheraea yamamai silk fibroin was formed into hydrogels quicker than Bombyx mori silk fibroin on the same condition. Comparing with Bombyx mori silk fibroin, the rapid gelation of Antheraea yamamai silk fibroin was concerned with its alternate polyalanine-containing units which are tended to form the α-helix structures spontaneously. The entropic cost during the conformational transition to β-sheet is less than that from random coil to β-sheet