Abstract
Spider silk is renowned for its impressive mechanical properties. It is one of the strongest known biomaterials, possessing mechanical properties that outmatch both steel and Kevlar. However, the farming of spiders for their silk is unfeasible. Consequently, production of recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) in more amenable hosts is an exciting field of research. For large-scale production to be viable, a heterologous silk production system that is both highly efficient and cost effective is essential. Genes encoding recombinant spidroin have been expressed in bacterial, yeast, insect, and mammalian cells, in addition to many other platforms. This review discusses the recent advances in exploiting an increasingly diverse range of host platforms in the heterologous production of recombinant spidroins.
Highlights
Host Systems for the Production of Recombinant Spider SilkProduction of recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) in more amenable hosts is an exciting field of research
Spider silk is renowned for its impressive mechanical properties
The use of synthetic biology enables the design and production of novel recombinant spidroins tailored towards specific functions in addition to those required by spiders [11]
Summary
Production of recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) in more amenable hosts is an exciting field of research. Genes encoding recombinant spidroin have been expressed in bacterial, yeast, insect, and mammalian cells, in addition to many other platforms. The production of recombinant spidroins and their functionalisation into fibres of synthetic silk has been a research topic of significant interest. The use of synthetic biology enables the design and production of novel recombinant spidroins tailored towards specific functions in addition to those required by spiders [11]. Recombinant spidroins of comparable size and mechanical function to native silk proteins have been successfully produced by engineered E. coli. Recombinant spidroins have been expressed in transgenic plants, rice, and alfalfa These expression platforms can potentially offer increased industrialscale economic viability over alternative host systems.
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