2021 Volume 65 Issue 2 Pages 35-39
Silkworm (Bombyx mori) cocoons and silk fibers were partially hydrolyzed by weak acids and the resulting peptide fragments could be analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Acid cleavage was a characteristic phenomenon in silk fibers. Peptide mass fingerprints obtained via MALDI-TOF MS analysis (MALDI biotyping) were compared among local silkworm cocoon varieties. Dendrograms were created based on the peptide mass fingerprints of raw, heat-treated, sodium carbonate-treated, and Marseille soap-treated cocoons. The identified differences suggested that it was possible to distinguish varieties and qualities of silkworm cocoons and silk fibers based on their peptide mass fingerprints.
