Latest news with #ThomasScheibel
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Gene-Hack Spider to Produce Bright-Red Silk
Researchers used the popular gene-editing technique CRISPR to modify the DNA sequences of house spiders, causing them to produce red fluorescent silk. Scientists are hoping that the US Navy and Air Force-funded research could lead to the development of new "supermaterials" produced by arachnids, Fast Company reports. As detailed in a paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team of researchers at the University of Bayreuth in Germany injected the eggs of unfertilized female spiders with a CRISPR-Cas9 solution to insert a gene sequence for a red fluorescent protein. After mating with males of the same species, the offspring produced red, fluorescent silk, demonstrating that the experiment had been successful. "Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders," said senior author and University of Bayreuth professor Thomas Scheibel in a statement. "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 functionalisation of these silk fibres." Apart from turning their silk bright red, the researchers also attempted to knock out a gene called sine oculis, which is responsible for the development of spider eyes. They found that the gene edit caused total or partial eye loss in experiments, highlighting its important role in visual development. By applying CRISPR-Cas9, a technique that has already been widely used to create custom medical treatments or make farm animals more resilient to diseases, the researchers are hoping to come up with a new generation of silk fibers. "Successful spider silk engineering in vivo will, therefore, help to develop and employ new fiber functionalities for a broad range of applications," the team wrote in its paper. "So far, genetic modifications in spiders have been only aimed at evolutionary and developmental research." As Fast Company points out, materials scientists have already been investigating the tactile strength of the silk produced by gene-modified silkworms. But thanks to cutting-edge gene-editing techniques, researchers could soon harness the unique advantages of spider silk as well. While the researchers didn't single out specific use cases for future "supermaterials," the possible applications are practically endless, from lightweight body armor to ultralight running shoes. "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," Scheibel explained. More on CRISPR: In a World First, CRISPR Drug Tailored for One Baby Shows Life-Saving Promise
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
World's First CRISPR-Edited Spiders Shoot Fluoro Red Silk From Their Butt
Beginning a chain of events that will presumably lead to the origin of our universe's Spider-Man, researchers in Germany have created the world's first spiders to be genetically modified using CRISPR technology. These spiders are unlikely to generate any superheroes (for now). They are not radioactive, and although their DNA has been altered, nothing has changed about their venom. They are still ordinary house spiders – mostly. As a result of researchers' genetic modifications, some of the spiders lack eyes, while others gained the novel ability to spin fluorescent red silk. If you're wondering how scientists did this, they used the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, which lets researchers cut into a cell's genome at specific locations and remove or insert sequences. If you're wondering why they did this, it was largely a proof of concept. The researchers sensed an untapped potential – given the unique properties of spider silk, among other things – when they realized this gene-editing technology had not been applied to spiders. "Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders," says senior author Thomas Scheibel, a biochemist at the University of Bayreuth. Spiders are wonders of nature. They've achieved impressive evolutionary success, having existed for some 400 million years and diversified into more than 50,000 known species. They rank seventh in total species diversity among all orders of organisms. Their silk is of particular interest. There are at least seven types among varieties of orb weaver alone, each with distinct attributes and uses by spiders. Some spider silks boast tensile strength comparable to steel, for example, but with peerless strength-to-weight ratios, not to mention elasticity and flexibility. Humans have long sought to harness the magic of spider silk, but to little avail. Most spiders are territorial predators intolerant of company, preventing us from farming them like silkworms. While synthetic spider silks are rapidly improving – now reportedly rivaling the original – there might still be unique value in learning to edit the genes for spider silk in vivo, the researchers contend. Given the lack of precedent for gene editing with spiders, Scheibel and his colleagues started with a simpler goal of removing (or 'knocking out') a gene. Hoping for clear results, they picked sine oculis, a gene involved with eye development. The researchers then designed a version of the gene-editing system to fit their task, which was injected into the abdomens of anesthetized female spiders of the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). This CRISPR components acted upon the spider's egg cells, which when combined later with male DNA, gave rise to eye-less spiderlings. Having established a process for genetic modification in house spiders, the next step was to tinker with silk genes. The researchers picked a gene for production of spidroins – the main proteins in spider silk – found in the strongest type of spider silk. As in the previous experiment, they injected a targeted solution into female spiders, this time with a gene sequence for a red fluorescent protein. Some spiderlings later spun red fluorescent dragline silk, providing evidence of a successful "knock-in" of the gene sequence into a silk protein. "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," Scheibel says. "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." The study was published in Angewandte Chemie. Who Gets Your 'Digital Remains' When You Die? Here's Some Expert Advice. Rubik's Cube Record Smashed in Less Time Than It Takes to Blink This Laser Breakthrough Can Read Text on a Page From a Mile Away
Fast Company
22-05-2025
- Science
- Fast Company
The world's first genetically modified spider could lead to new ‘supermaterials'
Researchers funded by the U.S. Navy have used gene-editing technology to make house spiders produce red fluorescent silk. This might seem like a quirky scientific novelty, but the breakthrough is a critical step toward modifying spider silk properties and creating new 'supermaterials' for industries ranging from textiles to aerospace. The team at Germany's University of Bayreuth, led by Professor Thomas Scheibel, successfully applied CRISPR-Cas9—a molecular tool that acts as 'genetic scissors' to cut and modify DNA sequences—to spiders for the first time. The study, published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemi e, demonstrates how this technology introduces modifications that enhance the extraordinary properties of spider silk, turning it into a next-generation supermaterial. In a press release, professor Thomas Scheibel, chair of biomaterials at the University of Bayreuth and senior author of the study, said, 'Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders.' His team injected a solution containing CRISPR-Cas9 components into female Parasteatoda tepidariorum, a common house spider species. To facilitate the process, the spiders were anesthetized with carbon dioxide and manually held under a microscope. The solution, which included a gene encoding a red fluorescent protein (called mRFP), was delivered into the eggs within the females' abdomens before mating with males so the resulting baby spiders could carry the gene modification. What are scientists trying to do? The experiment set two objectives: first, to disable a gene called sine oculis, responsible for the development of all spider eyes, in order to study its function. And then second, to insert the fluorescent protein gene into the MaSp2gene, which produces the silk thread spiders use to move hunt, hike, and chill out. In modified specimens, disabling sine oculis caused total or partial eye loss, confirming its critical role in visual development. According to the study, without this gene spiders fail to form eye structures, though the cornea develops normally. But the breakthrough with far-reaching industrial implications is the silk modification. The injected fluorescent protein gene successfully integrated into the MaSp2 gene, causing fibers produced by the modified spiders to glow red under ultraviolet light. According to Scheibel, they '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 functionalisation of these silk fibres.' He says that 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.' This accomplishment was no small feat. Spider genomes are complex, and their embryonic development—marked by unique cell migration stages—complicates genetic editing, according to the researchers. In fact, only 7% of egg sacs that were treated with the CRISPR solution contained modified offspring, a low efficiency rate typical for species with large broods (common house spiders carry about 250 spiders per sac). Additionally, the spiders they used are cannibalistic nature, which required them to be reared in isolation (not all spiders are cannibalistic in nature, but many do eat their males after mating and others eat each other). The race for 'super silk' It's a very promising development indeed. Spider silk is one of nature's strongest materials. Certain types of spider silk are significantly lighter and tougher than Kevlar. Silk is also far more elastic, which means it can stretch and return to its original shape without losing its strength. To top all this, spider silk production by spiders (or other animals, more on this later) does not involve the industrial processes, high energy consumption, and pollution associated with the manufacturing of synthetic materials like Kevlar. This is a major area of interest for biomimicry and sustainable materials. Until now, modifying spider silk's properties required costly, lab-based post-extraction processing, which is difficult to scale. This study shows that altering silk directly within the organism is feasible, paving the way for custom-designed silks with enhanced properties. While spider silk remains unmatched in natural performance, CRISPR-edited silkworms are emerging as scalable alternatives. Silkworms can be farmed en masse (unlike solitary, cannibalistic spiders), and recent advances show their engineered silk reaches 1.3 GPa tensile strength, comparable to high-tensile steel, which is a steel alloyed with chromium, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, silicon, and vanadium. Companies like Kraig Biocraft Laboratories already use CRISPR to produce spider-silk hybrids in silkworms, targeting industries like textiles and medical sutures. However, spider silk holds unique advantages over those genetically modified silkworms. Its dragline fibers are inherently stronger and 10 times finer. Using the method developed by Scheibel's team, potential CRISPR-enhanced spiders are likely to gain more superpowers, like getting closer to Kevlar or gaining better electrical conductivity. Where super silk might be used In medicine, spider silk's biocompatibility makes it ideal for dissolvable surgical sutures that reduce scarring and artificial tendons mimicking natural elasticity. Researchers are also developing 3D-printed scaffolds infused with silk proteins to regenerate bone or cartilage, leveraging silk's porous structure to support cell growth. For drug delivery, silk microcapsules could release medications at controlled rates, improving treatments for chronic diseases. New applications can integrate silk in sensors for real-time health monitoring in implants or conduct electricity for flexible electronics. The U.S. Navy's funding of the research makes sense too, given its interest in lightweight body armor. Spider silk can outperform Kevlar, while its elasticity reduces blunt-force trauma. In aerospace, silk composites could replace carbon fiber, cutting aircraft weight by 40% and improving fuel efficiency. NASA already explores silk-based materials for radiation shielding in space habitats, capitalizing on its strength-to-weight ratio. Companies like AMSilk and Spintex engineer spider silk proteins into biodegradable textiles, reducing reliance on synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuels. Adidas has prototyped ultralight running shoes with silk midsoles, while Airbus tests silk-based cabin panels to lower aircraft emissions. Spintex claims that its energy-efficient spinning process—1,000 times more efficient than plastic production—could revolutionize sustainable fashion, addressing the industry's 10% global carbon footprint. Right now, Scheibel's team is already exploring CRISPR edits to add moisture-responsive shrinking or toxin-detecting color changes to silk. Once they achieve whatever new wundersilks they—or the U.S. Navy—have in mind, they will have to come up with a way to mass-produce them. This evokes images of farms full of millions of genetically modified spiders, which sounds as fun as a rave with 10,000 zombies from The Last of Us. But the spider farms may never happen: As the researchers mention, many spiders are cannibals and the success rate of modification is still very low, so this will be a challenge. That is what makes genetically modified silkworms ideal to make spider-like silks, as they have been farmed for silk production since the neolithic, about 6,000 years ago, when Yangshao culture in China realized that silkworms could be raised to harvest cocoons that then got weaved to create silk fabric. The solution may be taking the successful spider DNA modifications they develop and using other animals to produce them, like silkworms or goats (yes, spider-goats are a thing). I'll leave you at this point. Good luck in your dreams tonight, my arachnophobic friends.
