Researchers from Germany have gone ahead and developed genetically engineered spider silk. The spider silk is being stated to be more elastic as compared to rubber and is stronger than steel too. In case commercialization is achieved this silk could be used for both technical and medical applications. The researchers of Thomas Scheibel at the Technical University have used genetic engineering for the production of spider silk proteins of European garden spider. The protein was purified using dialysis and fluids were separated in two different fluid phases – in one phase there were protein dimmers and in other oligomers which are multiple protein units linked together. Potassium phosphate needs to be added so that the liquid can be formed into threads. Rather than structural change in protein degree of oligomerization is important for thread formation and very soon an effective spinning process would be formed for production of genetically engineered spider silk. Via monstersandcritics
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