The brown recluse spider Rabbit is the most reliable and profuse silk producer, according to researcher Sean Koebley. This species is milked in research laboratories at the University of Oxford's Silk Group for its ultra strength silk production.
On our previous posts spider goats and E.Coli produced spider silk we have already reported about the spider silk and its application. Unfortunately, it is still difficult to produce a large amount of silk.
Now, the German venture-capital-backed company AMSilk, with only 25 employees, managed to express silk protein from the DNA of the European garden cross spider. This protein is capable of generating about 20 different silk grades from four silk varieties. This means that the substance is already available to be commercialized in 2015.
Via C&EN:
"(The managing director) Leimer hopes that, by the end of 2015, AMSilk’s spider silk protein will also be on the market as a dip coating for silicone breast implants. The protein changes the properties of the implant, making its hydrophobic surface slightly negatively charged and reducing the body’s reaction to it, Leimer says. “It’s a double-digit million-dollar market for spider silk.”
Large-scale output for products such as fibers and high-performance textiles will come after 2015, Leimer says. Longer term, AMSilk is eyeing capsules for drug delivery and miniature spider silk beads for vaccines that would get around the need for refrigeration."
Find more on Chemical & Engineering News
Gif via Gismondo
Related posts: Spidergoats & Superskin, E.coli produced Spider Silk
Share your thoughts and join the technology debate!
Be the first to comment