Implementation

In our IGEM project, we are trying to synthesize spider silk protein in Escherichia coli for use as sutures and base material for tissue plasters. It is intended to replace the use of common silk and nylon in those applications.

The expected advantages of silk over nylon are a higher tensile strength, prolonged absorption, and only minor loss of tensile strength [5] and biodegradability compared to nylon.

After purification, we plan to spin the proteins into a thread, which would open multiple possible avenues of use. For our project we are focusing on the medical applications of the formed thread.

One possible area of use is using the threads to form microsurgical sutures [1]. These can be further modified by applying an antimicrobial coating to the threads [2].

Further utilization of the silk could be in bundling the threads to form an amorphous tissue and applying a fine collagen layer to generate tissue plasters that assist with slow healing wounds. This plaster can be further modified to the specified needs of the specific wound. Such modifications could, for example, be employed to assist in the healing of slow healing wounds, which could turn into chronic wounds if not treated. Around 1 % of wounds turn into chronic wounds, which in Germany equates to approximately 3 million people. Especially older and/or freshly operated people have a higher risk of being affected.

There are a few challenges that need to be checked when rolling out the product. For one, it needs to be studied for possibly causing adverse reactions. This is just a minor part of examining the use of tissue plasters, but a vital one if one wants to apply the thread as sutures [4]. Furthermore, strict sterility of the material needs to be maintained if it is to be used in a medical setting.

Compared to traditional silk farming, the production of silk using E. coli has the advantage of sustainability. It would be easier to produce the fiber in larger quantities.