Crystallinity of yellow colored silkworm variety cocoons

The structure and properties of silk polymers (fibroin and sericin) can be satisfactorily controlled by choosing a suitable silkworm variety and, hence, this parameter (i.e., silkworm variety) has attracted increasing attention. A previous study reported that the crystallinity of white colored silkworm cocoons depends on the silkworm variety. In the present study, sixteen yellow colored silkworm variety cocoons were produced and their molecular conformation and crystallinity were investigated. The conformation of the silkworm cocoons varied with the silkworm variety. Most cocoons exhibited ${\beta}$-sheet conformation, although random coil and ${\beta}$-sheet conformations co-existed in some cocoons (e.g., 21 and D90). The crystallinity of the silkworm cocoons varied with the silkworm variety and the measurement position of the cocoon (i.e., outer surface or inner surface). However, the difference in the crystallinity indices of the outer and inner surfaces comprising the cocoons varied with the silkworm variety, but was <2% for all cocoons, except for MAL.