Spider silk is highly valued for its exceptional strength and durability. However, finding a way to mass-produce it is a challenging task. Unlike silkworms, spiders cannot be utilized to produce the fibers due to their territorial nature and tendency to consume each other. As a result, scientists have been attempting to genetically engineer various organisms, such as bacteria, yeast, mice, hamsters, and even goats, to produce spider silk, but with limited success.
According to molecular biologist Randy Lewis, an expert in spider silk at Utah State University in Logan, the fibers exhibit “better mechanical properties than anybody else has been able to show.” Previous attempts with silkworms only yielded fiber blends containing 30 to 50 percent spider silk, which were weaker than natural spider silk.
In a recent study, researchers employed the gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 to insert the complete instructions for producing spider silk protein into silkworms. They ensured that the protein ended up in the silkworms’ silk-making glands, taking advantage of the insect’s natural machinery. By breeding these modified silkworms, some offspring inherited the spider silk gene from both parents, enabling them to produce purer spider silk.
2023-10-13 06:00:00
Post from www.sciencenews.org
