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The concept of mutant spiders could serve as the basis for a science fiction and horror movie or present a nightmare for someone with arachnophobia. However, the first genetically modified spiders are much more harmless and fascinating.
Mutant spiders. A group of researchers has genetically edited a population of spiders, according to a study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. As a result, the team has created a group of spiders that can weave a vibrant, fluorescent red spider web.
This marks the first known experiment in genetic editing involving spiders. For this study, researchers used specimens of the American house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). Like many others, this species uses its web for both hunting and protecting its eggs.
A fascinating material. Spider silk is one of the most fascinating materials in the animal kingdom. Spiders can produce several types of webs, and among these, structural silks stand out due to their remarkable properties. These include extremely high tear resistance, elasticity, lightness, and biodegradability, according to the research team.
CRISPR-Cas9. In their experiment, researchers utilized CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools. They began by focusing on a gene associated with eye development to achieve a clear and identifiable initial outcome.
The team injected the genetic editing tool into a female spider to eliminate the targeted gene in her reproductive cells, allowing them to observe potential changes in her offspring. The results revealed spiders that didn’t develop eyes.
From eyes to silk. Building on this initial success, researchers repeated the experiment. This time, they targeted genes responsible for encoding specific proteins found in spider structural silk. As a result, they successfully engineered spiders that produced fluorescent red spider silk filaments.
A first step. Editing the genes responsible for producing the structural filaments of spider webs opens up new opportunities for understanding this material and its biochemical origins. Additionally, this advancement may allow scientists to synthesize spider silk more efficiently or even develop materials with similar properties.
“We have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalization of these silk fibres,” co-author Thomas Scheibel said in a press release. He added, “The ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science research–for example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk.”
Image | Vidar Nordli-Mathisen
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