Figure 2: Hydrogels made of the (FL)8 polyprotein show unusual physical properties.
From: Forced protein unfolding leads to highly elastic and tough protein hydrogels
(a) Photographs of moulded rings constructed from (FL)8 under ultraviolet illumination. The inset is the fluorescence spectrum of the (FL)8 hydrogel. The blue fluorescence under ultraviolet illumination originates from dityrosine cross-links in the hydrogels. (b) Photographs of moulded rings constructed from (FL)8 under white light. illumination. (FL)8-based hydrogels are opaque. (c) (FL)8-based hydrogels show spontaneous water expulsion. When soaked in PBS, (FL)8-based hydrogels spontaneously lose water, resulting in a negative swelling ratio of the hydrogel. Error bars represent s.d. of the experimental data.
