SpiderWorms: Using silkworms as hosts to produce a hybrid silkworm-spider silk fiber
Class
Article
College
College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Randy Lewis
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Current research involves the mass production and development of new applications for synthetic spider silk. Since spider silk is not easily harvested from spiders, the large-scale production of spider silk must be done through more scalable systems. These systems include genetically modified goats, E.coli, alfalfa, and silkworms. This project focuses on the creation hybrid silkworm-spider silk fibers through the genetic modification of silkworms. DNA plasmids containing 64 and 48 repeats of the minor ampullate spider silk gene will be created and incorporated into the silkworm genome through non-homologous end joining. Once the transgenic silkworms form cocoons, the hybrid silk will be tested and compared to the non-transgenic silkworm silk. Lastly, a cross breeding study will be conducted to follow how the spider silk proteins can be combined in the transgenic silkworm fibers through generations.
Location
The South Atrium
Start Date
4-12-2018 10:30 AM
End Date
4-12-2018 11:45 AM
SpiderWorms: Using silkworms as hosts to produce a hybrid silkworm-spider silk fiber
The South Atrium
Current research involves the mass production and development of new applications for synthetic spider silk. Since spider silk is not easily harvested from spiders, the large-scale production of spider silk must be done through more scalable systems. These systems include genetically modified goats, E.coli, alfalfa, and silkworms. This project focuses on the creation hybrid silkworm-spider silk fibers through the genetic modification of silkworms. DNA plasmids containing 64 and 48 repeats of the minor ampullate spider silk gene will be created and incorporated into the silkworm genome through non-homologous end joining. Once the transgenic silkworms form cocoons, the hybrid silk will be tested and compared to the non-transgenic silkworm silk. Lastly, a cross breeding study will be conducted to follow how the spider silk proteins can be combined in the transgenic silkworm fibers through generations.