At Utah State University, a new kind of silk is being produced. Professor Randy Lewis has been working on genetically modifying goats so they can produce spider silk. Nicknamed “ spider goats ”, these remarkable creatures are actually capable of producing silk.
Genetically Modified for Success
To get the goats to produce silk, Professor Randy Lewis added genes from spiders into the goats DNA. Although the goat looks like any other of its kind, it comes with a remarkable capability. These goats are milked like they normally would be and the goat’s milk appears to be exactly the same. If the milk is analyzed, there would be only one major difference. Within the fresh milk, an extra protein enzyme normally found in spider silk can be found. Once this is produced, the milk can be processed so to make silk.
Reactions
Despite the controversy over genetically modified animals, the new breed of goats has helped to allay animal rights activists over the source of silk. Without causing any harm to the goat, silk is produced for clothes and industrial usage.
This new form of genetically altering animals is known as synthetic biology. To people like Randy Lewis, genetically mutating creatures is just the most recent advance in agriculture. Born into a farming family, he is accustomed to the demands of a farmer’s life. In order to create spider goats, Professor Lewis took a strand of genetic material from an orb-weaver spider and placed it within an egg from a female goat. Once the goat grew up, it was able to give off spider-silk protein when it lactated. After the milk is processed, it can be wound around a single glass rod and used to create any silk product.
Future Potential
Along with its well-known softness, silk is an exceptionally durable material. Scientists have already discovered that it can be extremely elastic and placed in the body for ligament repair. Unlike other substances, the human body does not react negatively to silk. This means that the medical field can use silk in humans without it causing inflammation or illness. As technology grows, scientists will be able to discover more unusual properties for this exceptional material.
Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jan/14/synthetic-biology-spider-goat-genetics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16554357
