Nanostructural and mechanical property changes to spider silk as a consequence of insecticide exposure.

Benamú, M; Lacava, M; García, LF; Santana, M; Fang, J; Wang, X; Blamires, SJ

Nanostructural and mechanical property changes to spider silk as a consequence of insecticide exposure.

Benamú, M Lacava, M García, LF Santana, M Fang, J Wang, X Blamires, SJ

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Publisher:: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Chemosphere, 2017, 181, pp. 241-249
Issue Date:: 2017-08

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Benamú, M
dc.contributor.author	Lacava, M
dc.contributor.author	García, LF
dc.contributor.author	Santana, M
dc.contributor.author	Fang, J
dc.contributor.author	Wang, X
dc.contributor.author	Blamires, SJ
dc.date.accessioned	2022-09-22T07:08:30Z
dc.date.available	2017-04-17
dc.date.available	2022-09-22T07:08:30Z
dc.date.issued	2017-08
dc.identifier.citation	Chemosphere, 2017, 181, pp. 241-249
dc.identifier.issn	0045-6535
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1298
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/161981
dc.description.abstract	Neonicotinoids are one of the world's most extensively used insecticides, but their sub-lethal influences on non-target and beneficial organisms are not well known. Here we exposed the orb web spider Parawixia audax, which is found on arable lands in Uruguay, to a sub-lethal concentration of the broad spectrum insecticide Geonex (thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin) and monitored their web building. We collected their major ampullate silk and subjected it to tensile tests, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS) analysis, and amino acid composition analysis. Around half of the exposed spiders failed to build webs. Those that built webs produced irregular webs lacking spiral threads. The mechanical properties, nanostructures, and amino acid compositions of the silk were all significantly affected when the spiders were exposed to insecticides. We found that silk proline, glutamine, alanine and glycine compositions differed between treatments, indicating that insecticide exposure induced downregulation of the silk protein MaSp2. The spiders in the control group had stronger, tougher and more extensible silks than those in the insecticide exposed group. Our WAXS analyses showed the amorphous region nanostructures became misaligned in insecticide exposed silks, explaining their greater stiffness. While the insecticide dose we subjected P. audax to was evidently sub-lethal, the changes in silk physicochemical properties and the impairment to web building will indelibly affect their ability to catch prey.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Chemosphere
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.04.079
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Amino Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Biomechanical Phenomena
dc.subject.mesh	Insecticides
dc.subject.mesh	Nanostructures
dc.subject.mesh	Nitriles
dc.subject.mesh	Pyrethrins
dc.subject.mesh	Silk
dc.subject.mesh	Spiders
dc.subject.mesh	Uruguay
dc.subject.mesh	X-Ray Diffraction
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Spiders
dc.subject.mesh	Pyrethrins
dc.subject.mesh	Nitriles
dc.subject.mesh	Silk
dc.subject.mesh	Amino Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Insecticides
dc.subject.mesh	X-Ray Diffraction
dc.subject.mesh	Nanostructures
dc.subject.mesh	Uruguay
dc.subject.mesh	Biomechanical Phenomena
dc.title	Nanostructural and mechanical property changes to spider silk as a consequence of insecticide exposure.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	181
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-09-22T07:08:28Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	181

Abstract:

Neonicotinoids are one of the world's most extensively used insecticides, but their sub-lethal influences on non-target and beneficial organisms are not well known. Here we exposed the orb web spider Parawixia audax, which is found on arable lands in Uruguay, to a sub-lethal concentration of the broad spectrum insecticide Geonex (thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin) and monitored their web building. We collected their major ampullate silk and subjected it to tensile tests, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS) analysis, and amino acid composition analysis. Around half of the exposed spiders failed to build webs. Those that built webs produced irregular webs lacking spiral threads. The mechanical properties, nanostructures, and amino acid compositions of the silk were all significantly affected when the spiders were exposed to insecticides. We found that silk proline, glutamine, alanine and glycine compositions differed between treatments, indicating that insecticide exposure induced downregulation of the silk protein MaSp2. The spiders in the control group had stronger, tougher and more extensible silks than those in the insecticide exposed group. Our WAXS analyses showed the amorphous region nanostructures became misaligned in insecticide exposed silks, explaining their greater stiffness. While the insecticide dose we subjected P. audax to was evidently sub-lethal, the changes in silk physicochemical properties and the impairment to web building will indelibly affect their ability to catch prey.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/161981