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Sericin is the silk protein enveloping fibroin fibers in cocoons. Sericin hydrolysate protects cultured Sf9 insect cells from death caused by serum deprivation; the activity depends on the repeats of 38 amino acids. A partial peptide from the 38 residues, SGGSSTYGYS, inhibited serum-deprivation death as well. Cell viabilities in the presence of 10% (v/v) foetal calf serum, no additives and 1 m M SGGSSTYGYS were 96, 12 and 31% on the third day after inoculation, respectively. Aromatic residues seemed to be important because SGGSSTWGWS had the same activity as SGGSSTYGYS but SGGSSTAGAS had no activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sericin is the silk protein that covers fibroin fibers and functions as a `glue' in the cocoons of silkworms, and its most abundant component, Ser1, contains repeats of Ser- and Thr-rich 38 amino acid residues. The viability of Sf9 insect cells was 20, 57 and 49% on the fifth day and 41, 91 and 70% on the ninth day after serum deprivation in the presence of no additives, 3000 μg sericin hydrolysate and 350 μg SerD (the peptide containing the two repetitive units) ml-1, respectively. Thus, the sericin samples were useful in preventing cell death and promoting cellular growth after acute serum deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]