Scientists from the University of Bayreuth in Germany have successfully created the world’s first gene-edited spider that produces glowing red silk threads.
Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, they inserted a red fluorescent protein gene (mRFP) directly into the silk-producing genes of the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum).
As a result, some offspring were able to spin fluorescent red silk, visible under UV light—a strong sign that the gene modification worked precisely.
This breakthrough is the first time CRISPR has been used to achieve a gene "knock-in" in spiders, and it demonstrates that functional proteins can be genetically embedded into silk threads.
In the same study, researchers also knocked out a gene responsible for eye development, causing spiders to hatch without eyes—further proving the precision of their genetic editing method.
The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Angewandte Chemie and has received international attention.
Funded by organizations including the U.S.
Navy and Air Force, the project could lead to supermaterials for use in defense, aerospace, textiles, and biomedicine—such as biodegradable sensors or stronger-than-steel fibers.
In summary, this marks a significant leap in bioengineering and spider silk research, unlocking future possibilities to design silk with custom traits directly within spiders themselves.
Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, they inserted a red fluorescent protein gene (mRFP) directly into the silk-producing genes of the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum).
As a result, some offspring were able to spin fluorescent red silk, visible under UV light—a strong sign that the gene modification worked precisely.
This breakthrough is the first time CRISPR has been used to achieve a gene "knock-in" in spiders, and it demonstrates that functional proteins can be genetically embedded into silk threads.
In the same study, researchers also knocked out a gene responsible for eye development, causing spiders to hatch without eyes—further proving the precision of their genetic editing method.
The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Angewandte Chemie and has received international attention.
Funded by organizations including the U.S.
Navy and Air Force, the project could lead to supermaterials for use in defense, aerospace, textiles, and biomedicine—such as biodegradable sensors or stronger-than-steel fibers.
In summary, this marks a significant leap in bioengineering and spider silk research, unlocking future possibilities to design silk with custom traits directly within spiders themselves.
Scientists from the University of Bayreuth in Germany have successfully created the world’s first gene-edited spider that produces glowing red silk threads.
Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, they inserted a red fluorescent protein gene (mRFP) directly into the silk-producing genes of the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum).
As a result, some offspring were able to spin fluorescent red silk, visible under UV light—a strong sign that the gene modification worked precisely.
This breakthrough is the first time CRISPR has been used to achieve a gene "knock-in" in spiders, and it demonstrates that functional proteins can be genetically embedded into silk threads.
In the same study, researchers also knocked out a gene responsible for eye development, causing spiders to hatch without eyes—further proving the precision of their genetic editing method.
The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Angewandte Chemie and has received international attention.
Funded by organizations including the U.S.
Navy and Air Force, the project could lead to supermaterials for use in defense, aerospace, textiles, and biomedicine—such as biodegradable sensors or stronger-than-steel fibers.
In summary, this marks a significant leap in bioengineering and spider silk research, unlocking future possibilities to design silk with custom traits directly within spiders themselves.
