Well, go figure...goat milk for spinning silk....who would have ever thought! They have successfully transplanted the silk spider gene in a hampster and cow and the milk is producing silk in it. The future this article says is to do so into goats. Silk is stronger than steel and tougher than body armor...I did not know that! Think I'll start setting up the goat silk farm! Humm, wonder if there will be grade A silk, grade B silk, cheese silk.....

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), January 19, 2002

Answers

I just want to add the thought "...and some feel all genetic research is bad? Good comes from most anything, you only have to look for it."

If you drink milk with the silk gene, could you floss while eating or would it really bind you up? :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 19, 2002.

This reminds me of a line in the first Jurassic Park movie. Something to the effect of "I know we can do it--The question is SHOULD we do it."

At least it won't be as easy for these genes to "escape" as it may be with plant genes where pollen is carried in the wind. Hasn't there been a recent event in Mexico where nonGMO corn turned up producing seed with GMO seed?

-- Auntie GMO (notime@noplace.com), January 19, 2002.

I rather doubt the attributes of silk being stronger than steel and body armor. On steel, perhaps when stretched, but certainly not with downward force. Given a choice between Kelvar and silk, I'll take Kelvar. However, Hun warriers did wear silk undershirts. If they were hit by an arrow, the silk would be pulled into the wound. When the arrow was removed, the silk was left in the wound to seal it. (New evidence is the Iceman found in the Alps actually died as the result of an arrow wound.)

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 19, 2002.

Does this mean all the silk worms of the world will be out of business ?? Unemployed silk worms of the world unite !!!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), January 19, 2002.

does this mean with this milk I will get my fiber too?

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), January 20, 2002.

Is this the same article Chuck posted yesterday or a new one? I think the thread was titled "Goats bred to produce spider silk".

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), January 20, 2002.

They like to use goats for genetic engineering because of the short time from birth to kidding, short gestation, ( I know there is a technical word for what I am trying to say!). And then if the product they are looking for can be excreted in milk, they are all set, all they have to do is to milk the GE goats to get the pharmeceutical or whatever. Just think about milking a hamster...:) And cows take to long to raise and give birth in a business where time is of the essence. Also, goats typically have twins or more, unlike cows.

On a lighter note, how are they going to tell when the doe has mastitis- the milk would look stringy all the time!! Ha ha!!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 20, 2002.