High-toughness silk produced by a transgenic silkworm expressing spider (Araneus ventricosus) dragline silk protein

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 27;9(8):e105325. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105325. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Spider dragline silk is a natural fiber that has excellent tensile properties; however, it is difficult to produce artificially as a long, strong fiber. Here, the spider (Araneus ventricosus) dragline protein gene was cloned and a transgenic silkworm was generated, that expressed the fusion protein of the fibroin heavy chain and spider dragline protein in cocoon silk. The spider silk protein content ranged from 0.37 to 0.61% w/w (1.4-2.4 mol%) native silkworm fibroin. Using a good silk-producing strain, C515, as the transgenic silkworm can make the raw silk from its cocoons for the first time. The tensile characteristics (toughness) of the raw silk improved by 53% after the introduction of spider dragline silk protein; the improvement depended on the quantity of the expressed spider dragline protein. To demonstrate the commercial feasibility for machine reeling, weaving, and sewing, we used the transgenic spider silk to weave a vest and scarf; this was the first application of spider silk fibers from transgenic silkworms.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Bombyx / genetics*
  • Bombyx / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Fibroins / biosynthesis
  • Fibroins / chemistry*
  • Fibroins / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Larva / genetics
  • Larva / metabolism
  • Materials Testing
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Spiders / chemistry*
  • Spiders / metabolism
  • Tensile Strength
  • Textiles / supply & distribution

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • fibroin, silkworm
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • spidroin 2
  • Fibroins

Grants and funding

This Study was supported by MAFF Research projects of NIAS and by Research and Development Projects for Application in Promoting New Policy of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries grant from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan. (http://www.s.affrc.go.jp/docs/research_fund2009.htm). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.