The independent regulation of protein synthesis in the major ampullate glands of Araneus cavaticus (Keyserling)

The effect of mechanical silking on the rate of protein synthesis in the major ampullate glands of the spiderAraneus cavaticus has been investigated. Silking of one of the paired glands results in a greater rate of protein synthesis than in the unpulled control gland; in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Our data indicate that the rate of protein synthesis can be regulated independently in the two silk glands. Radioisotopic label appears in the orb web more rapidly than one would expect were older silk drawn before newly synthesized silk