Scientists May Have Solved the Secret of Silk

Reuters ^ | Wed, Aug 27, 2003

[presidio9]

Scientists say they may have worked out how spiders and silkworms are able to produce such strong fibers to spin their webs and cocoons.

They say that if they are right, their research could be used to produce silk in the laboratory for extra-strong protective clothing, sports equipment and even replacement bone tissue.

Silk is the strongest natural fiber known to man but scientists have yet to replicate its strength. They have managed to purify silk into powder but have not been able to turn it into material.

"The problem is that when people take these purified powders and try to make useful materials, they fall well short," said David Kaplan, professor of biomedical engineering at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

Kaplan and his team say the secret to silk production lies in how spiders and silkworms control silk protein solubility in their glands.

"The entire process is controlled by the amount of water, which is so simple," he told Reuters.

"The organism dumps protein into the gland but as it does that, it regulates how much water it leaves in there. That controls the entire process."

He said the research, published in this week's edition of science journal Nature, could have far-reaching applications, particularly in medicine.

Bioengineers at Tufts have already developed a strategy for using silk to repair damaged knee ligaments and say it could also be used to make artificial bone tissue.

Kaplan said some companies had expressed an interest in using silk to make ultra-strong clothing, hiking gear and outdoor equipment.

[presidio9]

[adam_az]

Scientists develop synthetic silk manufacturing device:

[Trot]

Shortly after this photo was taken, Jervis mysteriously disappeared. About two weeks later, his shriveled body was found under a huge web.

[PoorMuttly]

Imagine if Muttlys could spin webs.

I'm afraid to even mention this one to Santa.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP

[afraidfortherepublic]

I know where the cousins of those spders live...

[RightWhale]

the research, published in this week's edition of science journal Nature

Nature is to science as the New York Times is to journalism.

[far sider]

Wow. Evolution is so smart.

[SuziQ]

There is an organization that is experimenting with using spicer genes in the milk producing glands of goats to create milk with the strong silk fibers. I think they has planned to try to use the fibers for bulletproof vests, etc. I can't remember where I read it, but it was VEY interesting.

[weegee]

Your post reminded me of this article:

Man Confuses Snow with Vandalism

BERLIN (Reuters) - A Gambian man unused to Germany's winter weather woke up to find his car had gone completely white overnight and called police to complain vandals had painted it.

Police in the central German town of Hildesheim responding to investigate the crime discovered the man had mistaken snow on his car for paint when he looked down from his apartment window.

"To him it looked like paint when he was looking down on the car from the fifth floor. He was really worried and it wasn't a hoax, otherwise he would have been fined for it," police spokesman Walter Wallott said Monday.

[weegee]

You can also make really gooey string cheese with that.

[SuziQ]

Here's that info about the company I mentioned before doing the experiments on spider silk and goat's milk.

[LibKill]

Imagine if Muttlys could spin webs.

MUTTLY! What are you scheming now? :)

[tet68]

Muttly couldn't spin a webb, but Hillery! sure could.
Poor Muttly, caught and sucked dry by the spideress herself.
Just a shadow of his former muttlyness.

[PoorMuttly]

One never knows...DO one ?!!

Muttly wouldn't be his old reliable self without constant scheming, would he. Not to worry...but you have both stumbled upon the tip of my latest future triumph...the Giant Vile Politician Roach-Motel Web of Retribution...of the Muttly Kind.

(Therefore..."Activate Plan B. The Weasel Has Combusted...REPEAT...The Weasel Has Combusted. End of Transmission.")

[shaggy eel]

,,, the vessel has composted?

[PoorMuttly]

...you're such an eel...

[shaggy eel]

,,, you've been peeking when my silk's off?

[PoorMuttly]

everybody knows...they just don't talk about it.

Something about fish and typing disturbs people.