Podcast Summary
The Fascinating World of Spider Silk Research: Spider silk, made of strong yet flexible spidroins, is inspiring innovations in various industries despite the small research community's size. With potential applications in medical and sustainable materials, scientists continue to uncover its secrets.
Spiderwebs are made of a protein called spidroins, which are as strong as steel but more flexible, and they have the potential to revolutionize various industries due to their unique properties. Spider silk research is a niche field with a relatively small number of dedicated scientists, but their work has led to numerous discoveries and innovations. During an interview with Dr. Randy Lewis, a world-renowned expert in spider silk research, we learned about the fascinating world of spiderwebs and the scientists who study them. With over 150 publications and 11 patents, Dr. Lewis is a leading figure in the field. He explained that the spider silk research community is small, with only around 30 labs worldwide, and even fewer of those labs having published more than one paper. Despite the challenges, these scientists are making significant strides in understanding the properties of spider silk and finding ways to synthesize it in labs. The potential applications for this material are vast, from medical uses to creating stronger and more sustainable materials for various industries. So, next time you come across a spiderweb, take a moment to appreciate the complex and fascinating world of spiders and their silk. And who knows, you might just be inspired to become a spiderinologist yourself!
From side project to dominant focus: Dr. Robert Vajta's journey in spider silk research: Scientist Dr. Robert Vajta's curiosity led him to explore spider silk for vaccines, cloned the protein gene within a year, and became a pioneer in the field, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and unexpected discoveries.
Dr. Robert Vajta, a scientist with a background in chemistry and biochemistry, serendipitously found himself studying spider silk after a biotech company asked him to explore the potential of creating it for vaccines. At the time, little was known about the fibers themselves beyond their protein composition. Dr. Vajta was able to secure funding from the Office of Naval Research to clone the gene for the protein that makes up one spider silk, which he accomplished within the first year. Despite initial skepticism, this discovery was a significant step forward in understanding the molecular structure of spider silk. Dr. Vajta, who grew up in Wyoming and attended Caltech, has been working on spider silk research for over 30 years and is considered a pioneer in the field. He was drawn to spiders' amazing abilities and recognized their potential, even before he had a deep understanding of them. The journey from a side project to a dominant focus in his lab demonstrates the importance of curiosity and the potential for unexpected discoveries.
Spiders' Silk Production and Uses: Spiders produce various types of silk for distinct purposes, such as climbing and web-building, by aligning and locking protein molecules during the process of being pulled out. This natural adhesive has been a crucial factor in their success and survival for millions of years.
Spiders produce various types of silk from different glands for distinct purposes, and the process of forming silk involves the protein molecules aligning and locking together as it's pulled out. The most commonly known silk is the drag line silk, which spiders use to attach themselves to surfaces as they move around. Spiders have been using this natural adhesive for climbing for millions of years, making it an impressive evolutionary adaptation. They cannot squeeze the silk out like toothpaste but instead have to pull it out or attach it to something and walk away. The silk forms when the protein molecules become insoluble during the process of being pulled out, which happens in as little as 10 milliseconds. Spiders produce multiple types of silk, each with unique properties, and they use them for various functions such as building webs and attaching themselves to surfaces. The ability to produce and utilize silk has been a crucial factor in the success and survival of spiders throughout evolution.
Different types of spider silk for various purposes: Spiders produce unique silks for web framework, temporary use, stickiness, egg sacs, and prey/egg wrapping, each with distinct molecular structures and properties.
Spiders produce various types of silk for different purposes in their webs and egg sacs. The most common types include major ampullate silk, which is strong and acts as the framework and non-sticky outer rim; minor ampullate silk, which is temporary and used while building the web; flagelliform silk, which is sticky and forms the inside spiral of the web; tubiliform silk, which is stiff and used for the egg sac; and aciniform silk, which is used to wrap prey and eggs. These silks have a unique molecular structure, which allows them to interlock and form fibers. Some silks also have elastic properties, which help them stretch and retract without acting as a trampoline. Interestingly, the silk proteins of different spider species are highly conserved, meaning they have remained largely unchanged for millions of years. This makes it possible for experts to identify the type of silk based on its sequence. Overall, the diversity and unique properties of spider silk make it a fascinating and valuable natural material.
Spiders use specific silks for different purposes based on stimuli: Spiders produce five types of silk, each with unique properties, and their use is triggered by specific stimuli. The strongest silk is dragline silk, which is used for various purposes including web building and protection.
Spiders produce various types of silk for different purposes, and their behavior is genetically programmed to use specific silks based on stimuli. For instance, they release pre-wrapping silk when they sense prey, and we can collect this silk by providing the right frequency stimulus. However, collecting other silks is difficult because we cannot provide the necessary triggers. The strongest silk is believed to be the dragline silk, which has the best combination of strength and elasticity. Spiders use four different silks in their webs: major, minor, glue, and dragline. The glue is likely what makes a web adhere to our faces when we walk into them at night. While some webs are well-concealed, others are more exposed, leading to a higher chance of encountering them. Despite the fascination with spider silk, it's important to remember that disrupting their habitats should be avoided. One of the most breathtaking sights is a tapestry woven from golden orb weaver silk, which showcases the beauty and complexity of these creatures.
Spider silk's versatility goes beyond fiber production: Spider silk's unique properties make it a promising material for composite materials, adhesives, and various industries including medical, defense, and everyday applications.
Spider silk, though traditionally known for its use in creating intricate tapestries, has far greater potential in various industries beyond fiber production. Spider silk's unique combination of stretch and strength makes it an excellent candidate for composite materials, particularly in epoxy-based composites. Moreover, it can also function as an adhesive, capable of bonding to various surfaces, including plastic, metal, and wood. This versatility opens up possibilities in various sectors, from medical to defense, and even in everyday applications. The discovery of spider silk's potential uses goes beyond just clothing and bulletproof vests, offering potential solutions to issues like catheter infections and material reinforcement. The potential applications of spider silk are vast, and ongoing research continues to uncover new ways this remarkable material can improve our lives.
Spiders' unique silk inspires material innovations: Researchers explore creating strong and flexible materials like spider silk for car parts, inspired by spiders' natural abilities and gene transfer to more efficient organisms.
The strength and flexibility of spiders, which make them successful organisms, can inspire innovations in materials science. Spiders' ability to produce both strong and flexible silk has led researchers to explore the potential of creating similar materials, such as spider silk for car parts. The admiration for spiders is mutual among researchers, as they are found in various environments and have a wide range of prey and capture strategies. The future of spider silk lies in the lab, where scientists have successfully identified the genes responsible for spider silk production and have transferred those genes into organisms like goats and silkworms. This has led to the production of spider silk through more efficient and less wasteful methods, bringing us closer to practical applications of this remarkable material.
Engineering Spider Silk in Different Organisms: Scientists have engineered spider silk in goats, alfalfa, and silkworms using CRISPR Cas 9 system. Harvesting involves isolating the protein and dissolving it in water for easier processing.
Scientists have successfully produced spider silk in different organisms, including goats, alfalfa, and silkworms, through genetic engineering. The process involves making precise cuts in the DNA using CRISPR Cas 9 system and inserting the spider silk gene. The order of experimentation started with bacteria due to their ease in gene manipulation, followed by goats, and more recently, alfalfa and silkworms with greater precision. Harvesting the silk involves isolating the protein and dissolving it in water for easier processing, which is a significant advancement in the manufacturing process. Silkworms naturally produce silk, and the harvesting process includes unwrapping cocoons, washing the silk, and winding it onto a spool. Despite the progress, there are ethical considerations and potential challenges, such as maintaining the gene's stability in the next generations. Additionally, the process of producing spider silk remains expensive and time-consuming.
The Tragic Lives of Lady Silk Moths and the Production of Silk: Lady silk moths have tragic lives, their cocoons are boiled to produce silk, and spider silk protein extraction is not viable. Alfalfa is a more promising option for commercial-scale production of spider silk protein, with potential uses in various industries.
The production of silk, which is often thought of as coming from worms, actually involves the tragic flightless lives of lady silk moths and the boiling of their cocoons to preserve the long threads. While there are potential uses for silk fibers, the extraction of spider silk protein is a losing proposition. Instead, alfalfa is seen as a more viable option for commercial-scale production of spider silk protein, with potential uses in various industries and even as animal feed or ethanol. The researcher discussed in the conversation has dedicated decades to studying spider silk and hopes to see a product come from their work. While a spider silk golf shirt might be an interesting concept, the real potential of spider silk lies in its versatile protein and potential industrial applications.
Spiders create colorful egg cases for protection: Spiders weave strong silk for webs and colorful cases for their eggs, enhancing their survival
Spiders produce silk with varying colors, primarily for their egg cases to camouflage them. Phones are a powerful tool for communication, allowing us to connect and make a difference, like when I contacted Randy to donate to the women's empowerment project in Guatemala. Spider silk is incredibly strong, being four times stronger than Kevlar and 10-12 times stronger than steel, due to its unique combination of stretch and strength. The study of spiders on drugs revealed that their webs were affected, but it's unclear what drugs specifically did to the nervous system of the spiders. Spiders like the golden orb weaver even produce gold-colored silk, while others make greenish, brownish, pinkish, or camouflaging silk for their egg cases. So, spiders not only spin webs but also create colorful "Easter eggs" to protect their young.
The Fascinating Properties of Spider Silk: Spider silk is a strong and recyclable material with potential applications in various fields.
Spider silk, while not enabling humans to stop trains or swing between buildings with ease as depicted in Spider-Man, does have fascinating properties that are both useful and intriguing. Spider silk is strong enough to stop a train, but a human would need to consume an impractical amount of food to produce that much silk. Spiders can recycle their silk by eating it and using the amino acids for new silk production. The wide expanses of spider webs are likely due to spiders growing larger and needing to catch more prey to survive. Additionally, spider silk has potential applications in various fields, such as medicine and technology, due to its unique properties.
Exploring the potential uses of spider silk in various industries: Spider silk's unique strength and immune response properties make it a promising material for creating artificial ligaments and tendons in biomedicine. Companies like Spidey Tech are initially focusing on adhesives and coatings with unique capabilities.
Spider silk, which is known for its strength and unique immune response properties, has potential applications in various fields, particularly in biomedicine for creating artificial ligaments and tendons due to its non-reactive nature. Spidey Tech, a company focused on utilizing synthetic spider silk, aims to first explore adhesives and coatings with unique capabilities as their initial product offerings. Additionally, female spiders are primarily responsible for weaving webs, with males being smaller and focusing on reproduction. Cobwebs, unlike orb webs, do not have adhesive properties and serve as a three-dimensional shelter for the spider. Overall, the discussion highlights the fascinating properties of spider silk and its potential uses in various industries.
Misconceptions About Spiders and Their Webs: Spiders are not just Halloween creatures, they're year-round and come in various shapes and sizes. Only a small percentage are poisonous, and most 'bites' are from other sources. Eating spider webs is not a practical food source.
Spiders and their webs are often misunderstood. People tend to think of spiders and their webs as creepy and only relevant during Halloween. However, spiders are not just an all-year thing but can be seen as a constant presence. Spider webs come in various shapes and sizes, and contrary to popular belief, not all spiders are poisonous to humans. In fact, less than 10% of reported "spider bites" are actually from spiders. Most are from other sources like mosquitoes or self-inflicted injuries. As for eating spider webs, while they contain some protein, they are not a practical or nutritious way to augment one's diet due to their low protein content and the fact that few organisms can break them down. Additionally, spider silk is expensive, making it an impractical food source. So, the next time you see a spider or its web, remember that it's a fascinating and complex creature that plays an essential role in nature.
Spiders flying through air using silk: Spiders fly through air using silk during ballooning, reaching impressive heights. Goats were chosen for farming due to their early maturity, short production cycle, adaptability, ease of handling, and less waste.
Spiders use their silk not only for building webs but also for flying through the air by means of a process called ballooning. This is particularly common among young spiders who jump and let the wind carry their silk lines, acting like sails. The spiders can reach impressive heights, with some found up to 40,000 feet. Goats, on the other hand, were the focus for a company due to their early maturity, short production cycle, adaptability, ease of handling, and the belief that baby goats are cuter than baby cows. Additionally, the waste produced by goats is less than that of cows, making cleanup easier. And yes, spider silk can be used to make a strong and effective parachute.
Unique advantages of spider silk in parachutes and protective materials: Spider silk's ability to stretch and absorb energy without collapsing or shattering makes it ideal for parachutes and protective materials, but commercialization in industries like medicine faces challenges due to regulatory hurdles and negative associations from past failures.
Spider silk, specifically in the context of parachutes and protective materials, offers unique advantages due to its ability to stretch and absorb energy without collapsing or shattering. However, its commercialization in industries like medicine has faced challenges due to regulatory hurdles and negative associations from past failures of similar products. For instance, in parachutes, spider silk could prevent collapsing parachutes by absorbing energy and releasing it as heat instead of causing bouncing or trampoline-like behavior. In the case of heavy drops or armors, this property could be invaluable. Yet, in the medical field, the commercialization of spider silk has been hindered by past failures of related products and the reluctance of companies to deal with regulatory approvals and potential lawsuits. Despite these challenges, the natural properties of spider silk could potentially revolutionize various industries if successfully harnessed.
Exploring the World of Spider Silk: Spider silk is a versatile protein discovered in spider webs, and its manufacturing holds great potential. The constant discovery of new things makes working with it exciting.
While technology has advanced faster than some people's acceptance, the discovery and manufacturing of spider silk is an exciting development in the scientific world. Spider silk is a versatile protein structure that can be manufactured, and its creation is still seen as science fiction by many. The best part of working with spider silk, according to the interviewee, is the constant discovery of new things. To learn more about Spidey Tech and their work with spider silk, check out their website or Facebook page. The podcast "You Are That" explores various "ologies," including the one on spider silk, which you can find at alieward.com/ologies/spidrinology. For those interested in attending science communication conferences, consider SCICOM Camp in Southern California on November 8th. Keep an ear out for more podcasts, as Alie Ward finishes off a loaf of sourdough bread and Grammy the dog wears her spider-themed sweater.
The importance of effective communication: Be patient, give time for response, communicate clearly, concisely, and set expectations for successful relationships and achievements.
Effective communication is essential in our daily lives. In the given conversation, the speaker suggested leaving a message instead of waiting for an immediate response. This shows that sometimes, it's necessary to be patient and give the other person time to respond. Additionally, it highlights the importance of clear and concise messaging, as the speaker promised to call back. Effective communication also includes setting expectations, such as the speaker's promise to call back. Overall, the conversation demonstrates that clear, concise, and timely communication is crucial in building strong relationships and achieving success in various aspects of life.