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Your friendly neighborhood biologist chimes in...
They actually did this a couple years ago - that's when it hit the
science journals, although there's been another spate of publicity in the
general press. A Canadian company called Nexia are the ones that did the
genetic engineering. They are looking at a host of military applications
(bulletproof vests, among others) as well as medical applications such as
suture thread.
I wouldn't expect this stuff (trademarked name BioSteel) to be
commercially available, especially not as a fiber) for 5-10 years at least.
And keep in mind that we aren't nearly as good at spinning it as the
spiders are - the composition is the same, but not the structure. (Also,
this is dragline silk, not the sticky stuff!!)
The company propaganda is available at:
http://www.nexiabiotech.com/HTML/technology/biosteel.shtml
Sarah
Dr. Sarah C. Goslee * "When I get a little money, I buy books;
Jornada Experimental Range * if there is any left over, I buy food
USDA-ARS NMSU * and clothing."
[EMAIL PROTECTED] * --Erasmus
* * * * Phiala's String Pages * http://www.duke.edu/~scg3/string.html * * * *
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