Nature's loom: How to design a spinning tool using chitin-protein based composite material

Silk-producing animals use spigots to generate natural silk fibers for various purposes. These natural looms must be able to withstand prolonged silk extrusion. To gain insight into the functional basis of spigots, we report on the structural design of the spigot of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The B. mori spigot exhibits a unique triple-ridged strip surface structure, consisting of cuticle proteins, resilin, chitin, and metal ions (such as K and Ca). This multi-microstructure endows the spigot with superior hierarchical mechanical properties, enabling it to function as a spinning tool for silk formation, thereby influencing the structure and performance of the silk. These findings demonstrate new pathways for achieving specialized functions in confined spaces, providing theoretical support for understanding the natural spinning mechanism and inspiring new directions for developing innovative biomimetic materials. [Display omitted] •Chitin, cuticle proteins, resilin, and metal ions create the triple ridged silkworm spigot structure.•Multi-microstructure endows the spigot with hierarchical mechanical properties for spinning.•The spigot primarily affects the toughness of silk fibers.