Suitable electrospinning approaches for recombinant spider silk proteins

Among the versatile opportunities of processing recombinant spider silk proteins into coatings, hydrogels, particles, fibrils and foams, electrospinning provides a further highly important morphology: submicron- and nanofibers. These fibers display a high surface-to-volume ratio, which, in combination with the silk's biocompatibility, flexibility and functionality allows various applications including drug-delivery, tissue engineering, wound dressings as well as particle filtration from liquid or gas. Based on the chosen application, individual spider silk proteins can be spun out of a choice of solvents using different spinning techniques in order to achieve the desired properties of the fibers. In this perspective article so far used electrospinning solvents, techniques and collectors are displayed and brought into context with their possible application. [Display omitted] •Recombinant spider silk proteins can be processed into nanofibers via electrospinning.•Solvents and spinning techniques result in different fiber diameters and silk secondary structures.•Formic acid and aqueous solvents can be used for silk spinning.•Centrifugal electrospinning allows high throughput processing.•Applications of spider silk submicron fibers are shown for filter systems, biofabrication, sensoring, and chromatography.