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Scientists have genetically modified goats to produce silk protein in their milk, which can be harvested and purified. The process is hit and miss, but alfalfa could be an ideal crop to incorporate the spider gene. Goats are intelligent and social creatures, and goat milk and meat are popular worldwide.
Scientists have known about spider silk’s remarkable tensile strength for a long time, but getting the tiny creatures to cooperate and spin the cloth for human use is no easy task.
For example, researchers once tried to create a spider farm from which they could harvest silk, but instead of spinning together, the spiders became territorial and attacked each other.
Luckily there is a real farm animal: the goat. Led by Randy Lewis, a professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming, a team of scientists has discovered how to transfer the dragline silk genes of spiders into the DNA of goats. The upshot: When goats become pregnant and begin nursing, their milk contains a lot of silk protein, which can be harvested and purified in large quantities, according to Lewis.
While the genetic advance is promising — and doesn’t appear to have caused any health problems for the goats — the process is hit and miss, as is common when trying to develop a transgenic organism. Only about half of the goats end up with the spider gene. But scientists are looking for other opportunities. For example, because alfalfa has a relatively high protein content, it could be an ideal crop to incorporate the spider gene and could end up producing much larger quantities of silk.
How big are goats:
Goats are great climbers and have even been found on the tops of trees and dams.
Goats are intelligent and social creatures and can become depressed when kept alone which is why keeping just one as a pet is not a good idea.
Americans might love cow’s milk, but around the world, goat milk and goat meat are more popular than the milk and meat of any other animal.
