Genetically Modified Silk Worms that Weave Spider Silk

                                                                           Definitions
 
Synthetic: Compunds made artifically by humans rather than by a process of nature.
 
Transgenic: An organism whose genome has been altered by the transfer of a gene from another organism

Transposon: a genetic element that can move from one site in a chromosome to another site in the same or a different chromosome and thus alter the genetic constitution of the organism

                                                                            Summary

A Spider Web

A mature silkworm is pictured just before it starts spinning its transgenic silk.

 

Lewis and Malcolm Fraser at the University of Notre Dame have announced that they have bred transgenic silkworms that they genetically modified to weave spider silk. Breeding these silkworms were done using a DNA transposon called “piggyBAC.” This transposon can insert itself into a cell’s genetic material. The researchers used snippets of spider DNA into silkworm embryos, resulting in silkworms that spin a hybridized part-silkworm, part-spider silk. To insure they had engineered a new silkworm, the researchers added fluorescent protein to the spider DNA. The mutant silkworms received glowing red eyes, and their silk turned out to be fluorescent green. Amount of silk is no issue for these silkworms whose cocoon contains more than a half-mile of silk thread. . Spider silk is a natural phenomenon which is much stronger than steel.  This silk has so many practical uses. These include artificial ligaments, super-strong wound dressings or even body armor as it is stronger than Kevlar. There could even be spider-silk replacement tendons, parachute cords and more. It could even be used to transport drugs. With such practical uses, spider silk will be an important resource in the future.

                                                                       Discussion
Spider silk is a strong, flexible, and durable material that can be used for many purposes. Now that we have found a way to make a lot of spider silk safely, we will soon be able to mass produce spider silk. With more silk, many new breakthroughs could be made using this material. Researchers have already envisioned artificial ligaments, strong wound dressing, body armor, spider silk replacement tendons and parachute chords, we already know many possibilities to use spider silk for. It can even be helpful in the medical area with transport in drugs. Body armor could be revolutionized and made super light with this spider silk that is 10x stronger than Kevlar. A hot field in the future could be uses of spider silk.
                                                                        Questions
1. Can spider silk be used for important applications apart from the ones I listed? Will it be the cloth of the future?

2. Can spider silk be used to make comfortable clothes? If so, then all people will be safe as they will have bulletproof material.

3. Is it possible to genetically modify other animals, apart from goats, to make spider silk? (Genetically modified goats can already do this with proteins in their milk)

                                                                           Citations
Article- Boyle, Rebecca. "How Modified Worms and Goats Can Mass-Produce Nature's Toughest
     Fiber." Popular Science. N.p., 6 Oct. 2010. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.
     <http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-10/
     fabrics-spider-silk-get-closer-reality>.

Definitions- "Synthetic, Transgenic." Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. N.p., n.d.
     Web. 15 Oct. 2010. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/>. 

Spider Web Picture-. Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. < http://www.vinnova.se/upload/ bilder/Resultat/Artiklar/spindelv%C3%A4v.jpg.bmp >.