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Shigeyoshi Osaki - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The effects of seasonal changes on the molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2016
    Co-Authors: Shigeyoshi Osaki, Keizo Yamamoto, Takashi Matsuhira, Hiromi Sakai
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of spider proteins contained in the major ampullate glands of spiders collected during different periods. The standard deviation is also indicated. A peak for molecular weight is observed in mid-autumn, which corresponds to the mating season. Silk proteins were taken from the major ampullate glands found in the abdomens of Nephila clavata spiders that were collected on different days during an autumn season in Japan. The molecular weights of the silk proteins taken from 125 spiders were determined under a reduced state using electrophoresis. It was found that the molecular weight of N. clavata spider silk protein changed depending on the time period during the autumn season and showed a peak value of ~300 kDa during mating season. However, the molecular weight of N. clavata spider silk protein was, on average, ~270 kDa except during mating season. Such a peak in the molecular weight for female N. clavata may be ascribed to the necessity for building mechanically strong orb-webs, which consist of silk with relatively large proteins for the purpose of accepting many male spiders.

  • The effects of seasonal changes on the molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2016
    Co-Authors: Shigeyoshi Osaki, Keizo Yamamoto, Takashi Matsuhira, Hiromi Sakai
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of spider proteins contained in the major ampullate glands of spiders collected during different periods. The standard deviation is also indicated. A peak for molecular weight is observed in mid-autumn, which corresponds to the mating season.

  • Molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2015
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    Band patterns for N. clavata spider silk protein and for three different markers in 3% SDS-PAGE. M: marker, A: spider silk solution under a reduced state, B: spider silk solution under an unreduced state. The reduction due to a reductant cleaves the disulfide bonds and decreases the molecular weight from ca . 600 to ca . 270 kDa. Spider silk protein with ca . 600 kDa is suggested to be crosslinked by disulfide bonding between the two proteins. The molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk was determined to be ca. 600 kDa, under unreduced conditions, corresponding to its natural state, using the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method and a protein marker with a maximum molecular weight of 500 kDa. The addition of 2-mercaptoethanol into the spider silk solution decreased the molecular weight from ca. 600 kDa to ca. 270 kDa. Such a dramatic decrease in the molecular weight was ascribed to the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol as a reductant. This finding indicates the possibility that the reduction process cleaved the disulfide bonds formed between the spider silk proteins and then drastically decreased the molecular weight from ca. 600 to ca . 270 kDa. These results suggest that N. clavata spider silk proteins might consist of two proteins with a molecular weight of ca. 270 kDa that are crosslinked by disulfide bonds and exist as a dimer of ca. 600 kDa.

  • Effects of UV irradiation on the molecular weight of spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2013
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Keizo Yamamoto, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of the Nephila clavata spider dragline was determined to be 272±14 kDa using a SDS-PAGE method. The effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the molecular weight of the spider dragline were studied and compared with that of silkworm silk. The band densities observed using SDS-PAGE for the spider dragline and silkworm silk decreased with the UV irradiation time, suggesting decomposition due to the cleavage of protein chain molecules. It was found that the rate constant of degradation due to UV irradiation for the silkworm silk was larger by 1.7 than that for the N. clavata spider dragline. This result indicates that the N. clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk. UV irradiation cleaves chemical bonds and decomposes the silk chains into fragments. The effects of UV irradiation on spider silk were studied from the viewpoint of the quantity of silk proteins. The ratio of the uncleaved quantity to the initial quantity for the spider silk and silkworm silk is plotted as a function of the UV irradiation time. The silkworm silk decomposes more easily than the spider silk. The result indicates that Nephila clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk.

  • Effects of UV irradiation on the molecular weight of spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2013
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Keizo Yamamoto, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    UV irradiation cleaves chemical bonds and decomposes the silk chains into fragments. The effects of UV irradiation on spider silk were studied from the viewpoint of the quantity of silk proteins. The ratio of the uncleaved quantity to the initial quantity for the spider silk and silkworm silk is plotted as a function of the UV irradiation time. The silkworm silk decomposes more easily than the spider silk. The result indicates that Nephila clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk.

Masaaki Miyashita - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Terumi Nakajima - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Tadashi Miyashita - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The effects of forest fragmentation on web spider communities in urban areas
    Biological Conservation, 1998
    Co-Authors: Tadashi Miyashita, Akira Shinkai, Takafumi Chida
    Abstract:

    Spiders are generalist arthropod predators living in all kinds of forests. Since food limitation appears to be widespread, this group may be influenced by forest fragmentation in various ways. We examined web spider communities in one continuous forest and 17 forest fragments surrounded by built-up areas in Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan. Smaller fragments had fewer species and lower density of individuals. For a given size fragment, those in Yokohama harbored more species than those in Tokyo, probably due to the lower degree of isolation from surrounding fragments in Yokohama. Large araneids were most sensitive to fragmentation in the sense of species loss, small araneids intermediate, and theridiids least sensitive. The body size of Nephila clavata, a common species in fragments, was smaller in smaller fragments. We propose that one important mechanism of species loss in web spiders is the lower abundance of large prey in small fragments.

  • decreased web investment in sub tropical Nephila clavata tetragnathidae
    Acta Arachnologica, 1998
    Co-Authors: Claire K Cartan, Tadashi Miyashita
    Abstract:

    Webs of Nephila clavata living in Okinawa, a sub-tropical region of Japan, were found to be significantly smaller and to have less number of radii and spirals than those seen in temperate Tokyo. According to recent papers, a web is thought to get smaller when prey is abundant (Sherman 1994), or before molting and egg-laying (Higgins 1990), but none of these explain web reduction in Okinawa. We propose an alternative explanation: the necessity of the spider to adjust its life cycle to a sub-tropical climate.

  • design and prey capture ability of webs of the spiders Nephila clavata and argiope bruennichii
    Acta Arachnologica, 1995
    Co-Authors: Tadashi Miyashita, Akira Shinkai
    Abstract:

    The relationship between design and prey capture ability of webs was examined in the two orb-weaving spiders Nephila clavata and Argiope bruennichii. We collected unstressed webs of both species by framing them with large paper mounts, and exposed them at the same microhabitat. Webs of Nephila tended to capture more prey than those of Argiope, due to the larger number of sticky threads. However, the proportion of relatively large prey (2-6mm) was greater in Argiope, probably due to the larger amount of adhesive material attached to the web silk. We conducted another experiment to assess the retention ability of webs for large prey (20-25mm) by putting it on the web. The amount of time the prey remained trapped in the web was similar between the species, though the variation was large. We consider that the web of Nephila functions to capture large prey as well as very small prey.

  • Size-related mating and mate guarding in the orb-web spiderNephila clavata (Araneae, Araneidae)
    Journal of Insect Behavior, 1994
    Co-Authors: Tadashi Miyashita
    Abstract:

    The orb-web spider Nephila clavata satisfies three conditions for assortative mating proposed by Ridley ( The Explanation of Organic Diversity. The Comparative Method and Adaptations for Mating , Clarendon, Oxford, 1983); (1) a large male advantage in male-male competition, (2) a correlation between female size and fecundity, and (3) a long pairing duration. To test Ridley's hypothesis, size assortative mating and guarding were examined in the field. When data were pooled over time, assortative mating was found but this was due to temporal covariation of body sizes of males and receptive females. After controlling for the effect of time, size assortative guarding was not detected, although females guarded by males were larger than those not guarded in the early breeding season. Possible reasons for the absence of size assortative guarding were discussed.

  • Male-male competition and mating success in the orb-web spider,Nephila clavata, with reference to temporal factors
    Ecological Research, 1993
    Co-Authors: Tadashi Miyashita
    Abstract:

    Seasonal occurrence patterns of adults of both sexes, intensity of male-male interactions, and mating success in the spider, Nephila clavata , were examined in the field. Adult males began to attend female webs about 2 weeks before female maturation. Large adult males were abundant in the early breeding season, but small males increased later in the season. From the distribution of males among female webs and size relationship of males within a web, male-male interactions seemed to be more intense when most females were still subadult. This was verified by a field experiment in which males were artificially introduced to female webs that were attended by other males. It was found that the probability of introduced males remaining on subadult female webs was lower than that on adult webs. As mating occurred mostly in the period shortly after the female final molt and first male sperm precedence was known in all spiders reported so far, intense male-male competition on subadult female webs seemed to be reasonable. Male longevity had an important influence on the mating success of males with just-molted females. Mating success was also affected by the relative body size of males present in a given period. Since larger males occupied the position closest to females within a web and stayed there longer, relative body size appeared to influence mating success through male-male competition. Female body size at maturation declined with time; hence, males that attained sexual maturity earlier had the advantage of mating with larger and more fecund females. Therefore, early maturation as well as larger size seem to be two important trairs influencing the reproductive success of males.

Takashi Matsuhira - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The effects of seasonal changes on the molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2016
    Co-Authors: Shigeyoshi Osaki, Keizo Yamamoto, Takashi Matsuhira, Hiromi Sakai
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of spider proteins contained in the major ampullate glands of spiders collected during different periods. The standard deviation is also indicated. A peak for molecular weight is observed in mid-autumn, which corresponds to the mating season. Silk proteins were taken from the major ampullate glands found in the abdomens of Nephila clavata spiders that were collected on different days during an autumn season in Japan. The molecular weights of the silk proteins taken from 125 spiders were determined under a reduced state using electrophoresis. It was found that the molecular weight of N. clavata spider silk protein changed depending on the time period during the autumn season and showed a peak value of ~300 kDa during mating season. However, the molecular weight of N. clavata spider silk protein was, on average, ~270 kDa except during mating season. Such a peak in the molecular weight for female N. clavata may be ascribed to the necessity for building mechanically strong orb-webs, which consist of silk with relatively large proteins for the purpose of accepting many male spiders.

  • The effects of seasonal changes on the molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2016
    Co-Authors: Shigeyoshi Osaki, Keizo Yamamoto, Takashi Matsuhira, Hiromi Sakai
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of spider proteins contained in the major ampullate glands of spiders collected during different periods. The standard deviation is also indicated. A peak for molecular weight is observed in mid-autumn, which corresponds to the mating season.

  • Molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2015
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    Band patterns for N. clavata spider silk protein and for three different markers in 3% SDS-PAGE. M: marker, A: spider silk solution under a reduced state, B: spider silk solution under an unreduced state. The reduction due to a reductant cleaves the disulfide bonds and decreases the molecular weight from ca . 600 to ca . 270 kDa. Spider silk protein with ca . 600 kDa is suggested to be crosslinked by disulfide bonding between the two proteins. The molecular weight of Nephila clavata spider silk was determined to be ca. 600 kDa, under unreduced conditions, corresponding to its natural state, using the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method and a protein marker with a maximum molecular weight of 500 kDa. The addition of 2-mercaptoethanol into the spider silk solution decreased the molecular weight from ca. 600 kDa to ca. 270 kDa. Such a dramatic decrease in the molecular weight was ascribed to the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol as a reductant. This finding indicates the possibility that the reduction process cleaved the disulfide bonds formed between the spider silk proteins and then drastically decreased the molecular weight from ca. 600 to ca . 270 kDa. These results suggest that N. clavata spider silk proteins might consist of two proteins with a molecular weight of ca. 270 kDa that are crosslinked by disulfide bonds and exist as a dimer of ca. 600 kDa.

  • Effects of UV irradiation on the molecular weight of spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2013
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Keizo Yamamoto, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    The molecular weight of the Nephila clavata spider dragline was determined to be 272±14 kDa using a SDS-PAGE method. The effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the molecular weight of the spider dragline were studied and compared with that of silkworm silk. The band densities observed using SDS-PAGE for the spider dragline and silkworm silk decreased with the UV irradiation time, suggesting decomposition due to the cleavage of protein chain molecules. It was found that the rate constant of degradation due to UV irradiation for the silkworm silk was larger by 1.7 than that for the N. clavata spider dragline. This result indicates that the N. clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk. UV irradiation cleaves chemical bonds and decomposes the silk chains into fragments. The effects of UV irradiation on spider silk were studied from the viewpoint of the quantity of silk proteins. The ratio of the uncleaved quantity to the initial quantity for the spider silk and silkworm silk is plotted as a function of the UV irradiation time. The silkworm silk decomposes more easily than the spider silk. The result indicates that Nephila clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk.

  • Effects of UV irradiation on the molecular weight of spider silk
    Polymer Journal, 2013
    Co-Authors: Takashi Matsuhira, Keizo Yamamoto, Shigeyoshi Osaki
    Abstract:

    UV irradiation cleaves chemical bonds and decomposes the silk chains into fragments. The effects of UV irradiation on spider silk were studied from the viewpoint of the quantity of silk proteins. The ratio of the uncleaved quantity to the initial quantity for the spider silk and silkworm silk is plotted as a function of the UV irradiation time. The silkworm silk decomposes more easily than the spider silk. The result indicates that Nephila clavata spider dragline was 1.7 times more resistant to UV irradiation than silkworm silk.