Arg–Tyr cation–π interactions drive phase separation and β-sheet assembly in native spider dragline silk

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 122, Issue 52, December 2025. <br/>SignificanceSpider silk is one of nature’s toughest materials, yet how its soluble protein building blocks transform into solid fibers remains elusive. We show that interactions between specific amino acids—arginine and tyrosine—act as molecular “stickers”…