An object of the present invention is to provide an agent for imparting a cool touch feeling property and a water-absorbing and quick-drying property. The agent for imparting a cool touch feeling property and a water-absorbing and quick-drying property contains a modified fibroin as an active ingredient.

A recombinant spider silk protein, consisting of no more than 800 amino acids, comprising a set of domains arranged according to the formula (NT)-REP-CT, wherein: the optional NT-domain, if present, comprises a sequence of 100 to 160 amino-acid residues derived from the N-terminal domain of a spider silk protein; the REP-domain comprises a sequence of 30 to 600 amino acid residues derived from the repetitive segment of a spider silk protein; and the CT-domain comprises a sequence of 70 to 120 amino acid residues derived from the C-terminal domain of a spider silk protein selected from: a sequence of 72 to 110 amino acid residues derived from the C-terminal domain of a spider silk protein, wherein the sequence comprises at least 7 residues independently selected from K, R, E and D; a sequence having at least 85% identity to SEQ ID NO: 15 or any one of SEQ ID NOs: 62-65 or 67-73; and a sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NOs: 64 or any one of SEQ ID NOs: 62-65 or 67-73, wherein the sequence comprises at least 7 residues independently selected from K, R, E and D.

The present invention relates to methods for reprogramming somatic cells into pluripotent stem cell-like cells. Such cells may express pluripotency inducing genes including Oct4, Nanog and Sox2 without introducing exogeneous genes, proteins, or chemicals. The discovery that the inhibition of mechanosensitive and stretch-activated ion channels in somatic cells specifically activates pluripotency inducing factor genes inspired the cell reprogramming culture methods in which somatic cells were incubated with the inhibitor, GsMTX4, against mechanosensitive and stretch-activated ion channels, cultured on the soft hydrogel surface, or treated with cholesterol depletion substance, methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD). Described methods produce pluripotent stem cell-like cells and subsequently re-differentiated cells, which include adipocytes, osteocytes, neuronal cells. Methods may be combined to increase the efficiency of the somatic cell reprogramming A somatic cell reprogramming kit was also created with tissue culture dishes casted with hydrogel (dehydrated) and MβCD.

A method of producing a fibroin protein product includes providing a stock solution of fibroin protein, injecting a first injection solution including a chaotropic salt into the stock solution, injecting a second injection solution including a kosmotropic salt into the stock solution to provide an intermediate solution, and exposing the intermediate solution to a shear force. A method of preparing a stock solution of fibroin protein includes dissolving a silk fiber into a protic solvent to provide a solution including fibroin protein and adding a chaotropic salt to the solution including fibroin protein to provide the stock solution of fibroin protein. A 3D printer includes a first extruder, a closed duct assembly, at least one injection site, a filter assembly, a printer head assembly, and a printer body.

The present disclosure relates to methods of isolating and purifying synthetic block copolymer proteins via the application of solvents and high shear microfluidization methods.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.

The present disclosure presents a general approach to engineering existing protein-protein interactions through domain addition and evolution. The disclosure teaches the creation of novel fusion proteins that include knottin peptides where a portion of the knottin peptide is replaced with a sequence that has been created for binding to a particular target. Such fusion proteins can also be bispecific or multi specific in that they can bind to and/or inhibit two or more receptors or receptor ligands. Knottins may be fused with an existing ligand (or receptor) as a general platform tor increasing the affinity of a ligand-receptor interaction or for creating a multi specific protein. In addition, the fusion proteins may comprise a knottin peptide fused to another protein where the other protein facilitates proper expression and folding of the knottin.

Composites based on a polymer and a mixture of proteins derived from a MaSp (major ampullate spidroin) protein are provides. Further, methods for preparation of same, and method of use of the composites are provided.

To provide a meat substitute composition having a texture and sensory properties closer to those of real meat than a meat substitute composition in the related art, the present disclosure provides meat substitute composition containing a polypeptide that satisfies the following (1) or (2):

(1) number of amino acid residues is 150 or more, an alanine residue content is 12 to 40%, and a glycine residue content is 11 to 55%; or

(2) an amino acid residue content of at least one type selected from the group consisting of serine, threonine, and tyrosine, an alanine residue content, and a glycine residue content account for 56% or more altogether.

Insecticidal toxins described herein are fused toxin peptides made up of a targeting domain fused to a toxin domain. The targeting peptide generates a specific association with mosquitoes by causing the fused toxin peptide to bind mosquitoes in a way that leads to the insecticidal activity. Transgenic plants described herein are mosquitocidal by expressing an insecticidal toxin protein in nectar that includes a targeting peptide to ensure specificity against mosquitoes. These transgenic plants serve as role models for safety, since they are non-crop plants and specific to one mosquito species.