Utah State University

Xiaoli Zhang

Randolph V Lewis

Justin A Jones

Lijin Xia

Transgenic silkworms stably expressing hagfish thread keratin genes or composite silkworm/hagfish thread keratin genes are disclosed. The exogenous hagfish thread keratin genes are stably integrated into a defined site of the fibroin heavy chain intron or a fibroin light chain intron of silkworms. Synthetic hagfish thread keratin proteins and composite hagfish thread keratin-silkworm genes and proteins are provided. The expression of exogenous hagfish thread keratin genes is driven by the endogenous fibroin heavy chain promoter, improving the genetic stability of transgenic silkworms. The composite silkworm/hagfish thread keratin fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical performance, compared to normal silkworm silk fibers and other transgenic silkworm fibers.

Transgenic silkworms expressing hagfish thread keratin

Transgenic silkworms stably expressing synthetic spider silk genes or composite silkworm/spider silk genes are disclosed. The exogenous spider silk genes are stably intergrated into a defined site of the fibroin heavy chain intron or a fibroin light chain intron of silkworms. Synthetic spider silk proteins and composite spider silk-silkworm genes and proteins are provided. The expression of exogenous spider silk genes is driven by the endogenous fibroin heavy chain promoter, improving the genetic stability of transgenic silkworms. The composite silkworm/spider silk fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical performance, compared to normal silkworm silk fibers and other transgenic silkworm fibers.

Growing community of inventors

North Logan, UT, United States of America

Xiaoli Zhang