c/science · by readbeanicecream@kbin.social · 2y

6x Tougher Than Kevlar: Spider Silk Is Spun by Genetically Modified Silkworms for the First Time

https://scitechdaily.com/6x-tougher-than-kevlar-spider-silk-is-spun-by-genetically-modified-silkworms-for-the-first-time/

Scientists in China have developed a method to produce spider silk from genetically modified silkworms, offering a strong, sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers with applications in various industries. Researchers have synthesized spider silk from genetically modified silkworms, producing f

15 points · 2 comments · view on lemmy.world

2 Comments

Gordon_Freeman@kbin.social · 6 pts · 2y (1 reply)

What happened to the goat that was genetically modified to produce spider silk more than a decade ago?

readbeanicecream@kbin.social · 7 pts · 2y

@Gordon_Freeman As of 2019:

Well, all went a bit quiet. Partly because the Montreal-based company leading the way, Nexia Biotechnologies, a company spun out of McGill University, swiftly went bust and sold its two GM goats — Sugar and Spice — to the Canada Agriculture Museum in Ottawa, which in 2013 removed its genetically-engineered goats from display amid public pressure.

Quiet momentum continues, however, under Dr Randy Lewis of Utah State University and his team. Though he is unaware of the whereabouts of Sugar and Spice today, his lab looks after over twenty goats capable of producing silky milk.

Source: https://agfundernews.com/what-happened-to-those-gm-spider-goats-with-the-silky-milk