Synthetic biologists have genetically engineered E.coli to produce resilin, the rubbery protein that enables fleas to jump and insect wings to flex. The researchers from CSIRO Livestock Industries in Australia inserted part of the resilin gene from a fruitfly into the bacteria. From News@Nature:
(Biochemist Chris) Elvin says that the team is dreaming up a range of applications for the material. At the moment the group is focusing its attention on using the stuff to make replacements for spinal discs, the spongy material that lies between bones in the spine.
The resilin molecules in a fruitfly's wings might have to stretch about 500 million times during its life, says Elvin, and a human may flex their back a similar number of times. Using a material that can withstand a lifetime's punishment could significantly improve existing artificial spinal discs, which are made of metal and polythene….
The team is studying how the material behaves inside living lab animals to find out whether it could be used in such implants.
The group is also trying to add a gene that makes spider silk to the modified E. coli, so that the rubber it produces is stronger than resilin itself while being just as stretchy. "People have been trying to do similar things with spider silk for a while," says Lakes, "and I think this approach could bear fruit."
