Sericin, a water-soluble globular glycoprotein, is derived from the silkworm Bombyx mori. It is rich in serine, aspartic acid, and glycine. Sericin is localized around the fibroin fibers with successive sticky layers, to form the cocoon. It constitutes 20%-30% of the total cocoon mass. Sericin is composed of 18 types of amino acids of which most of them contain strong polar (hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino) side groups.
Application
Sericin Bombyx mori (silkworm) has been used:
as a standard to evaluate the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the crude sericin extracts
as a growth medium supplement to culture to study its effect on the production of infectious Zika virus (ZIKV) particles by C6/36 and Vero cells, compared to serum-free cultures and cultures supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS)
in the development and optimization of a bio-origami film for skin regeneration
Biochem/physiol Actions
Sericin acts as a gum binder to maintain the intact structure of the cocoon. The strong polar side groups of sericin affect its physical and biological properties. Studies show that sericin exhibits various biological functions such as antioxidant and antityrosinase activities, collagen production that is essential in wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, anti-aging, and antimicrobial actions. It is known to promote stability and prolong the release of controlled drug-releasing biomaterials. Sericin has several beneficial characteristics for culturing mammalian cells.
Features and Benefits
Sericin has cryoprotective properties that allow for replacement of fetal bovine serum (FBS) in cryopreservation media.
1% sericin (w/v) along with 0.5% (w/v) maltose, 0.3% (w/v) proline, 0.3% (w/v) glutamine and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is comparable to 90% FBS and 10% DMSO.
Sericin can act as a FBS replacement in cell culture and stimulate cell growth.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer characterized by an aggressive histology and poor prognosis, with limited treatment options in the clinic. In the present study, the effect of sericin, as an anti‑cancer drug, on TNBC
Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry, 69(2), 403-405 (2005-02-24)
Human skin fibroblasts were cultured on sericin prepared from cocoon shells. The living cell number after 72 h was enhanced to 250% of the no-sericin control. The increase was due to the acceleration of the initial attachment of the cells.
Biotechnology and applied biochemistry, 42(Pt 2), 183-188 (2005-06-10)
Cryopreservation is a pivotal process in cellular engineering for creating a continuous source of generated functional cell lines and for the convenience of various medical treatments that involve cell culture. FBS (fetal bovine serum) supplemented with 10% (v/v) DMSO is
Sericin, a silk-derived non-immunogenic protein, has been used to improve cell culture performance by increasing viability, cell concentration, and promoting adherence of several cell lines. Here, we hypothesized that the properties of sericin can enhance the amplification of flaviviruses in
Sericin, a constituent of the silkworm cocoon, was added to the culture of four mammalian cell lines: murine hybridoma 2E3-O,human hepatoblastoma HepG2, human epithelial HeLa and human embryonal kidney 293 cells. The proliferation of all cell lineswas accelerated in the
Are the aminoacidic composition and molecular weight of this protein available?
1 answer
Technical Support
·a year ago
The amino acid composition and molecular weight of this product are not determined. The isoforms of Sericin demonstrate different amino acid profiles as well as different molecular weights. Please see the links below to access the UniProt profiles as well as a publication that may be helpful.
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