On the horizon - the Ultimate Wonderbra and a vehicle tow rope you can carry in your wallet;
The black widow spider's dragline silk is a standout compared to other spider silks because of its superior strength and extensibility, a combination which enables black widow dragline silk to absorb enormous amounts of energy. These properties suggest that synthetically-produced silk might find applications as diverse as lightweight super-strong body armor, components of medical devices and high-tech athletic attire.The researchers -- Associate Professor of Biology Cheryl Hayashi, postdoctoral researchers Nadia Ayoub and Jessica Garb, and graduate students Robin Tinghitella and Matthew Collin -- report their findings in the June 13 online edition of the journal PLoS ONE. In the article, they describe their work to identify the genes encoding the two key proteins, named MaSp1 and MaSp2, and determine the genes' complete DNA sequences. The UCR Office of Technology Commercialization has filed a patent application on the gene sequences.
There are currently no products on the market based on the dragline silk of spiders. "There's nothing quite as good yet as natural dragline silk, but we should get a lot closer now that we have the full genetic recipe," Hayashi said.
With the ingredients and their genetic blueprint now known, it may be possible to synthetically produce the proteins by inserting the genetic sequences into host organisms such as bacteria, plants or animals, she said. Once the pure proteins are harvested, a manufacturing challenge will be spinning them into silk fibers that have the same remarkable properties as spider spun silk. But several advances have recently been made in artificial spinning methods.
This is certain to be followed by environanny demands for mandatory government regulation forcing manufacturers to label their products with "genetically modified material spider allergy alert" warning stickers.
Old story, Kate. They've been taking silk out of GM goats since 1999. Right here in Canada too. And on Yahoo! I saw another story about using brain signals to move objects just like it hadn't been done before.
There is nothing un-conservative in truthful labeling of products. Just in case if those geniuses oversaw significant risk of allergies, it would be nice to be able to identify the products and avoid them. MSG, my sore point, is for some reason poisonous but a fight is going on to prevent labeling of products containing it. Your political orientation is not going to protect you from poisoning should your organism become sensitive to free processed gluten.
Saw something about this on (IIRC) the Science Channel the other day. Seems ordinary spider's dragline silk is something like 20x as strong as steel by weight. The problem is drawing the silk - it comes liquid from the glands and hardens on contact with air.
And BTW, there's one guy with goats that produce spider silk proteins in their milk.
Walloping websnappers, my spidey senses are tingling. Oh, forget it. It is just the troll alert working.
I somehow forgot that you are not allowed to post whatever you want here Kate, even if it isn't a "new" story. I found the story interesting and I am always facinated by the stuff mother nature has to offer.
disclaimer: This comment may bother some sensitive types of either political persuasion who have had their funny bone removed.
...i miss that Hinderland Spider spoof.
But what about women who will scream and jump up on a chair at the sight a of 'spider bra'?
Have you ever heard of "trapdoor" spiders, Yanni? Personally, I think I'd be more worried about spider panties.
When scientists emulate a spider web in the lab, we view it as a wonderful example of man's intelligence and ingenuity. When we see the same thing existing in nature, we dismiss it as the random, undirected results of time-plus-chance.
I believe that velcro was also based on something observed in nature.