Message no. 1

From:	Michael Schmidt Michael.Schmidt@****.uni-hannover.de
Subject:	[OT]RE: Ahh the wonders of biotech!
Date:	Thu, 22 Jun 2000 09:55:47 +0200 (MET DST)

On Tue, 20 Jun 2000, Stephen Guilliot wrote:

> From: "Tzeentch" <tzeentch666@*********.net>
> >The goats have been bred with a spider gene so their milk provides a
> >unique protein. The company then plans to extract the protein from the milk
> >to produce fibers - called BioSteel - for bulletproof vests, aerospace and
> >medical supplies.
>
> Hmm, I wonder why e-coli or yeast can't produce the protein. I mean, goats
> are alot more expensive. Maybe this spider silk gene requires some
> post-translational modifications that only animals and insects can perform.
> Any biochemists with some additional insight?

Proteines with these properties will have to be long inline
macro-molecules. Perhaps they are to big to be produces inside of
e-coli bacteria cells.
Another explanation could be, that for bacteria based biochemical
production a from the main genome separated dna-ring only bacteria
possess is used. This ring can only have a specific lenght. If the
dna-mask for the macro-proteine is too long for this ring the cell is not
able to synthsize it.

Will try to find information on similar techniques, sounds interesting.

Michael Schmidt(no biochemist)

Icewolf