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“AMSilk’s silk proteins have higher purity and strength compared to traditional mulberry spinner silk”
So higher purity and strength than silk worm silk? Wow, take a bow!
SMH
I think possibly I’ve been around this mess more than you to believe any such possibilities. A lot of us have seen the horse and pony show. What ever they suggest is a fantasy with Kim at the helm. That’s the TRUTH !!
Depends on the news. ... evaluate then. .. if 8 cents on no news ... well, we saw just about that already so .. yes ... that would be a good choice on no news .. most likely.
KBLB is potentially going to start working on developing materials for the military through the Air Force RFI and you can conclusively say there will not be any interest in bullet proof/resistant materials created from spider silk? And there is “no way” a marketable medical application exists because there are already products on the market?
Think if we had stopped at horses for getting around because they already worked and cars would take decades to develop.
This is clearly a long play on “potentially” game changing, transformative technology. I wouldn’t rule it out just yet due to it not happening (yet).
This goes to .08 I’m selling. I’ll double my money and be pleased.
Remember when the thought of bullet proof underwear was a great idea for soldiers ? That’s how off we were. Good lord. And now we’re talking about miracle medical devices that WILL take years to develop. And as far as heart valves ? Forget about it. They already have that one nailed down. My dad was living proof at age 80. The first one they opened his chest for a 12 hour procedure at age 55. The 2nd procedure, 90 minutes going up through his artery. As far as medical goes, forget about it !! Dream on !!!
I don't count revenue, for doing other than what was originally contracted.
Shoot packs were ordered and the ARMY received something with the appearance of fabric swatches.
They were supposed to supply more but couldn't even get that right.
In over their head then and now.
The more years change...
The more things remain the same, with KBLB.
You’re going to count that… alrighty then
Already I’ve had multiple offers to buy my shares off-market at $8 bucks/share. I’m going to wait until Tuesday when I can probably unload at $10 bucks each.
That golden cross sure beats getting some positive news from Thompson. I’m guessing there must be an entire phalanx of investors just looking for that most treasured of signs, ready to jump in when it appears.
It’s fooling no one truth, save the boiler room, who may at this stage be starting to believe their own lies.
Don't know what happened on my last post (bearish...not), but I am definitely bullish! GLTA
More like the beholden craws....
Last Trade Time: 3:59:54 PM EDT
I like it! Holdin' the Golden! :)
Nice close ... but low vol. ... everyone still waiting for a great news PR. C'mon Kim/Jon! I know you can DO it! :)
Excellent! Let's rocket now 5x to 10x.
The Army contract produced revenue. Let's be accurate. Give Kim credit for hiring Jon. Jon Rice is the one that got KBLB that contract.
Agree Bob...For the last 10+ years he's given himself $500,000 a year , A FREE car & FREE health insurance. All this from a company that has not produced one red cent of revenue & ZERO return to his shareholders ....Completely Classless
Now we need some volume, then it truly will be golden.
We got the golden cross!
"Hey pal, did we SLAM DUNK AF funding, yet?"
GETTING the funding is a SLAM DUNK...
no one is slam dunking the funding....lmao
Everyone have a great Memorial Day weekend and take a moment to remember those and their families whose sacrifice made the freedoms we enjoy possible.. God bless them.
This thought process is exactly what tripled the share count, funded the ceos lifestyle and dragged us longs on for the last decade. Great to see it alive and well with some people.
Hey pal, did we SLAM DUNK AF funding, yet?
If KBLB is sending out samples for certain corporations, it would show in one of their SEC filings.....
TRUISM
<< There is no product >>
Agreed, KBLB has no commercial product of any sort (and probably won't for quite a while, if ever).
150000 shares at the ask to 0,05....no one wants to sell, but the buyers are waiting and hoping for an entry lower.....don't hope and wait too long....remembering friday two weeks ago....
Exactly! Biopolymers is not a product. KB made those announcements more than a decade ago. Amsilk is wayyyyy behind
<< it took Amsilk almost 20 years to produce Biopolymers????? Lol >>
The article says that AMSilk was founded in 2008, and they are making and selling products.
KBLB was incoroporated in 2006, and they still have NOTHING.
So the joke must be on KBLB shareholders, and the Scumbag CEO is laughing all the way to the bank.
Thx for sharing Truism. So....it took Amsilk almost 20 years to produce Biopolymers????? Lol
“quiet Before the storm? This is it.... “
Many NDA’s will be released with the Launch. Then we’ll see the big developers marketing!!
Spydasilk alone has many….
But Medical and Protective+ is the big stuff I wanna see!
AMSILK, WORLD'S FIRST INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIER OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SILK BIOPLOLYMERS - (KBLB COMPETITOR)
GERMANY - 03/18/2023
LINK
Our recent interaction with Ulrich Scherbel, CEO of AMSilk, talks about the company’s innovative bio-fabricated silk material, its features, applications, and the company’s future plans.
Germany-based AMSilk is the world's first industrial supplier of synthetic silk biopolymers, which was founded in 2008. The Company develops and produces high-performance materials based on spider silk and is currently in the scale-up phase. Through its adaptable solutions, the Company strives to make smart biotech materials a part of daily life. Furthermore, AMSilk’s smart biotech materials outperform existing, fossil-based products due to their optimal performance and favorable environmental effect, as well as their adaptability to a wide range of significant applications.
AMSilk aims to expand the use of its vegan, biodegradable, recyclable, and biocompatible products, minimizing their reliance on the planet's natural resources. AMSilk's primary material of spider silk is biocompatible, chemically and mechanically robust. High-performance sports apparel and cutting-edge biological advancements are already being fueled by AMSilk biotech materials. AMSilk biotech materials are already revolutionizing products like high-performance sports apparel and cutting-edge biological advancements.
Our recent interaction with Ulrich Scherbel, CEO of AMSilk, talks about the company’s innovative bio-fabricated silk material, its features, applications, and the company’s future plans.
YnFx: What is the story behind AMSilk?
Scherbel: In 2008, the founders of AMSilk started with the idea to make spider thread available in industrial quantities. Spider silk is one of the most fascinating materials on earth: two and a half times stronger than steel since ever used for medical applications and is extremely versatile. But spiders are cannibals, farming them to produce silk on an industrial scale turned out to be impossible. So, for a long time, it was the holy grail of material science to find a way to replicate and produce the spider's thread "without the spider". AMSilk basically solved this challenge by inventing a technology to produce spider silk on an industrial scale by using biotechnology.
Thus, AMSilk was one of the prime movers to invent large structural proteins for products that can replace other chemical products or products of animal origin. Ever since at AMSilk, we have believed that nature offers better alternatives to existing materials with biofabricated materials.
YnFx: How is the spider silk obtained?
Scherbel: AMSilk’s unique bio-fabrication process uses the blueprint for silk from the genome of a spider and reprograms microorganisms to enable them to produce silk polymers. The production process uses bacteria and biotechnology fermentation processes. The microbes are grown in large-scale stainless-steel vessels, fed with natural and renewable plant-based raw materials. This creates ‘vegan silk’ which and does not involve any natural farming processes. AMSilk turns spider silk into man-made silk formulations, including fibers and yarns, sprayable formulations, hydrogels, and silk powder for textiles, medical use, or consumer goods.
YnFx: What are the distinctive features of the spider silk fiber?
Scherbel: Spider thread is nature’s most tear-resistant and versatile material and is two times stronger than steel. AMSilk’s silk proteins have higher purity and strength compared to traditional mulberry spinner silk and are extremely versatile; By programming material properties at a molecular level, we can customize them according to the final application or properties required. Thus, AMSilk can deliver silk material for a variety of applications ranging from super fine yarn for the silk-like outer fabric to super resistant yarns for advanced materials such as composites or sports shoes. The fibers enhance skin comfort with bacteriostatic and hygienic properties and are thinner and more delicate than the products of mulberry silk. In medical use, recent research shows that AMSilk’s engineered silk implant coatings can prevent infection and reduce post-operative complications of implants.
YnFx: What is the environmental footprint of spider silk fiber?
Scherbel: AMSilk fibers have been designed with their end of life in mind. They are completely biodegradable, taking just a few months to break down the silk in seawater and on land. As compostable products, they are free of microplastics, with no microplastic washout during the product life; they can be fully recycled (without down-cycling) and re-spun.
Compared to the production of traditional mulberry silk, no animals are killed at any given time, which makes our products truly vegan. In addition, water depletion and energy consumption of AMSilk production are much lower than that of traditional silk. As we are not using fossil-based carbon AMSilk products, we outperform existing materials in many ways.
YnFx: What are the areas of application of bio-fabricated AMSilk materials?
Scherbel: The molecular scalability of the protein properties provides a technology platform for endless applications as the materials can be adapted to the needs of various market segments. Firstly, silk materials can be used in commercial textiles – including footwear and garments, bags and wristbands, home textiles, and even composites in automobiles. AMSilk’s silk materials can also be used in the MedTech industry – as a medical implant coating for breast implants or surgical mesh, for wound care and medical skin care, as well as cosmetics but also for consumer goods like dishwashers and laundry care products.
SINCE WE WORK WITH INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, WE CAN OFFER VERY CONSISTENT QUALITY.
YnFx: What are the key milestones achieved by AMSilk till date?
Scherbel: AMSilk was founded in 2008 and, as of today, holds more than 185 patents. The Company closed a EUR 29 million Series C fundraising in May 2021 and together with a strong network of new and existing shareholders. AMSilk has successfully established itself as one of the leading bio-materials companies in the world. In the last years, AMSilk could enter into several development agreements with leading global brands powered by the successful proof of industrial large-scale protein production.
YnFx: What are the future plans of the company?
Scherbel: We are on the way to successfully transforming from a silk material company to a world-leading technology platform for structural proteins. AMSilk plans to expand capacity beyond 20,000 tons scale a year and extend its production network outside of Europe within the next four to five years. The focus is now on bioindustries and how to scale up, commercialize innovations and finance them over time.
============================
ZWINGENBERG / NEURIED - German biotechnology companies Brain Biotech and AMSilk have announced a strategic collaboration to develop high-performance bio-based protein fibres for the textile industry.
The two companies say they will combine their expertise to drive the development of sustainable fibres for the performance materials market in a range of sectors including apparel, medical and automotive.
Brain Biotech develops and manufactures bio-based products for industry, while AMSilk supplies innovative biomaterials for the textile, medical and consumer goods industries.
TRUISM
Ever heard of quiet
Before the storm? This is it.... soon. IMO.
I think you are right, Mojo. I am very bad with names. Regardless, GO KBLB!
Such venom and malice towards the CEO. smh. Kim is excellent at hiring and delegating. He has made great decisions in these areas to have the company well positioned for a massive explosive expansion of the company with an astronomical explosion in the sp. The only question is if he will be smart enough to take the highest BO offer on his desk after this happens. Or will he suffer his most loyal shareholders (buy hold and never sell) to a 1 for 10 split and a massive shorting attack on the Nasdaq. And then several more years of growing pains and trying to recover to the new all-time high that is coming.
Seeing that he is certified genius. Probably the latter.
yup.....and yet...
i have always stated that the company could prosper despite the ceo...
and i think it has a good chance to do just that...and when it does, it will be due to many different people...but kim will take the credit...and many here will tout his "genius" at "hiring" the right people who got it done...
smh
Still relying on KBLB’s chart - one that’s often manipulated by a $20 buy or sell order at the close of each day? One that had a huge move propagated by a pumper-dumper who was responsible for most of the buying and subsequent selling for which he (and his group) took a big loss?
<< i was ok with getting a piece of property and starting a facility on it once we were ready to do it...but the way that transaction went down just seemed shady to me... >>
Agreed.
<< i suspect that we continued to pay rent for probably years after it was defunct... >>
It looks like KBLB paid rent for about 4 years and 2 months, which basically paid for the purchase of the property. Then the Scumbag CEO sold the property for a good profit.
i was ok with getting a piece of property and starting a facility on it once we were ready to do it...but the way that transaction went down just seemed shady to me...
heres more fuel for your fire...we stopped hearing anything about that property fairly quickly after it was announced...
i suspect that we continued to pay rent for probably years after it was defunct...
i wonder why?...lol
Sorry, his name seems to be George Roland Gill. I got his names twisted.
Me too. I have always thought that a smaller operation in the states only creating high end products for Medical, Aerospace, etc with very high profit margins would be one type operation for KBLB. I am saying from egg to finished product out the door all at one secure location. Don't need Vietnam for this operation.
I am sure Kim and Jon have already thought of this type operation.
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Moderators MU_Redskin1 gimmegimmeminemine TRUISM EOT WebSlinger |
Email: corporate@KraigLabs.com
KRAIG LABS WEBSITE FOR INVESTORS
Quarterly and Annual Reporting to the SEC is available on the Company's Website and EDGAR.
* Financial Statements * SEC Filings *
Outstanding Shares as of January 12, 2023
For issues or questions relating to share certificates or the transfer of securities please contact the company's transfer agent:
Olde Monmouth Stock Transfer Co., Inc.
200 Memorial Pkwy.
Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey 07716
Phone: (732) 872-2727
(since August 14, 2013)
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (KBLB) is the first company with a commercially feasible spidersilk to be mass produced.
Kraig Labs is a biotechnology company focused on the development of commercially significant high performance polymers and technical fibers. Kraig Lab's focus has been on the production of a transgenic silkworm incorporating specific gene sequences from the golden orb weaving spider. These specific gene sequences inserted are to enable the silkworm to spin a new recombinant fiber which incorporates spider silk proteins. With the scientific breakthrough announced on September 29, 2010, Kraig Labs is now working to commercialize the transgenic silkworms to compete in the garment industry silk market. The value for the chinese raw silk market alone is 3-5 billion per annum. With the creation of 20 seperate transgenic silkworms, all with unique properties, Kraig Labs is now working at an accelerated pace to build upon their first generation transgenic organisms to develop their second generation of transgenic silkworm incorporating spider silk proteins. The scientists nearly doubled the strength of the silkworm with these specific spider gene insertions. Their second generation of transgenics are expected to be complete in 2011. These second generation organisms are to be compared with the strength, flexibility and resiliency of the native spider in which the gene sequences are derived from. These fibers which will match the strength of spider silk are expected to compete in the technical textiles market valued in excess of 120 billion per annum. The 3rd generation organisms are currently in the planning phase. These organisms are expected to spin fibers exceeding the strength of native spiders and may incorporate gene sequences that release an antibiotic, or to help reduce scarring with use in bandages.
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has a sponsored research and development program with the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Wyoming. The genetic work is occurring at the University of Notre Dame, headed by Dr Malcolm Fraser, Phd. The gene sequences are derived from Dr. Randy Lewis's(University of Wyoming) patented gene sequences of the golden orb weaving spider. Kraig labs is paying for all expenses incurred for this research and development program, and thus Kraig Labs has exclusive global commercialization rights with the technologies developed, including methods, organisms, and fibers produced.
MANAGEMENT
Kim Thompson, Founder and CEO
As the CEO of the company, Mr. Thompson is the only member of the scientific advisory board who is also
a part of the corporation's management. His formal education lies in the fields of economics and law.
He received his B.A. in Applied Economics from James Madison College at Michigan State University.
He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School in 1994.
Mr. Thompson founded Kraig Biocraft Laboratories in his pursuit of the development of new biotechnologies
with industrial applications. As chairman of the scientific advisory board, he brings a unique perspective,and
acts as the primary liaison between the advisory board and the corporation.
Mr. Thompson brings a wealth of experience in business management and consultation to Kraig. Following
the completion of his undergraduate degree, Mr. Thompson joined California Craftsman, Inc. as a
Vice-President with primary responsibility for both marketing and human resources.
Kim Thompson was the director of business development at Franchise Venture Partners, LLC. He subsequently
joined the firm of Shearson, Lehman, Hutton where he specialized in equity trading and research of small cap
companies. Mr. Thompson received the highest series seven score for all Shearson brokers in his class nationwide.
His experience in those small cap equity markets has proven to be invaluable both in his legal and business successes.
Prior to becoming a public company CEO, Mr. Thompson was the founder and senior litigation partner in a California
commercial law firm where he worked as corporate and litigation counsel to privately held and public companies.
His many accomplishments in corporate law include winning and collecting in full what his firm believes to have been
the largest award of lost profits in a California commercial arbitration up to that time. An important part of his work was
winning victories on behalf of corporate clients in disputes over intellectual property and distribution rights. He has
represented business clients ranging from small start ups and micro caps to Fortune 100 companies.
With a background in business leadership and in advising public and private corporations, Kim Thompson continues
to bring a unique perspective to the successful management of business. His extensive business and legal background
enables him to create practical solutions to business problems and seize opportunities for growth.
Mr. Thompson is a member of the Triple Nine Society for persons with documented genius level IQs (having tested above
the 99.9th percentile). He is also active in the realm of science and invention where he has to his credit a number of
provisional patent applications including innovations in the areas of biotechnology, organic polymers, genetic engineering
and magnetic field manipulation, among others.
Mr. Rice has over 13 years’ experience growing development stage businesses with a focus on technology development, commercialization, and go to market strategies. Mr. Rice holds a B.S. in Chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University.
Prior to joining Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Mr. Rice was the Director of Advanced Technologies for Ultra Electronics, AMI. In this role, Mr. Rice was responsible for the identification, capture, and execution of new technology programs. During his tenure with AMI, Rice secured more than twenty five million dollars in funded development programs from the US Department of Defense which his team successfully leveraged into commercially viable spinoff products. Mr. Rice was also responsible for technical sales, marketing, and promotion of AMI’s products and capabilities. Rice joined AMI as the third full time employee and helped to lead the organization through its rapid growth and ultimate acquisition by Ultra Electronics in 2011.
Earlier in his career Mr. Rice developed unique advanced manufacturing techniques, established and trained a production staff, led engineering development, authored numerous technical papers, and is a recognized subject matter expert. Mr. Rice holds 5 issued patents and numerous provisional patents.
Mr. Rice brings a history of transforming revolutionary ideas into viable commercial products.
Mr. Rice is currently completing his Masters of Business Administration through the Executive Program at the Eli Broad College of Business: Michigan State University.
Despite the huge potential of genetically modified animals outside of laboratory research, commercialisation of these animals has been extremely limited. Numerous factors, including negative consumer perception, regulatory hurdles, and limitations inherent to classical GM technologies, have kept the majority of GM animal applications within the realm of academic research. However genome editing using zinc finger nucleases could help develop new markets for the future commercialisation of GM animals.
Genetic modification is commonplace throughout the life sciences sector, from fundamental research to pharmaceutical testing. GM cellular and animal models are valuable tools for the study of many chronic diseases, the testing of pharmaceutical compounds and the development of new therapeutic strategies. Genetic modification also offers great benefits in vaccine and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, which rely heavily on the use of GM organisms for biomolecule design and production. Modifying the genome of an organism or cell line allows the incorporation of target biomolecules in specific biological contexts, as well as the transfer of a gene product from a low-producing organism to one that can produce on a commercial scale. These applications have been widely accepted for many years, with countless GM organisms approved for medical manufacturing applications by drug regulators in all major countries. Despite this widespread success within the research and pharmaceutical sectors, the use of GM organisms outside of these markets has been limited.
Despite the lack of broad acceptance for most commercial applications of GM animal products, this technology has been able to gain traction in a few market sectors. The most obvious application has been the commercialisation of transgenic animals for the production of biomolecules for therapeutic use. Cattle, sheep and goats have been used for large-scale production of antibodies, steroids and hormones - most notably insulin - for many years. In 2009, GTC Biotherapeutics received US FDA approval for bioproduction of a recombinant human antithrombin. This product - ATryn - is extracted from the milk of transgenic goats, and is the first approved biopharmaceutical to be produced using genetically engineered animals. Although this is a significant breakthrough for the commercialisation of GM animals, it is still within the pharmaceutical industry, and is a natural progression of existing cell-based technologies. Of potentially greater commercial interest is the extension of genetic engineering outside of this sector, into areas such as food production, textiles and even companion animals.
GM crops have been available in many countries since the early 1990s, and numerous cash crops - including sugar beet, soybean, corn and tomatoes - have been modified to improve resistance to disease, increase the rate of growth or enhance nutritional value. However, cultivation of these transgenic crops is generally tightly regulated, particularly within the European Union, and this, together with negative public opinion, has limited the more widespread development of GM technologies.
Similar to GM crops, many of the animals currently under development are intended to confer disease resistance, an application particularly suited to the use of zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology. Many diseases can be treated by the targeted deletion or modification of a host gene. With ZFNs, these targets can be modified with no footprint of genetic engineering. Due to the high costs of raising livestock, another area of focus in developing commercial GM animals has been increasing the rate of growth or size of animals. Among the first GM animals likely to be launched is a fast growing salmon from AquaBounty. The AquAdvantage Salmon is designed to reach market size in half the time of a wild type salmon, reducing costs for fish farmers and limiting the environmental impact of salmon farming by avoiding the need for ocean pens.
Although genetic engineering of animals for food is primarily driven by economic pressures, GM technologies have also been used in the companion animals market. In this sector, genetic modification can be used for practical purposes - such as the creation of hypoallergenic animals or the correction of heritable congenital defects which have arisen though inbreeding - or for purely cosmetic purposes, such as GloFish. The first example of a GM pet, GloFish are fluorescent zebrafish (Danio rerio) that have had genes encoding naturally fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, RFP) inserted into their genome. Developed by a group at the National University of Singapore, GloFish were originally created to develop live detection systems for water pollution. They were introduced as pets in the United States in 2003 following over two years of extensive environmental research and consultation. In Europe however, the sale and possession of GloFish is prohibited by rigorous legislation concerning the use of GM technologies.
By allowing precisely targeted insertion of spider genes and concomitant removal of endogenous silkworm silk genes at the same locus, ZFN technology offers the potential for development of transgenic silkworms which will produce native spider silk at commercially viable levels
Perhaps even more interesting from a commercial perspective is the use of GM animals in the manufacture of textiles. Silkworms - actually the larval form of the silkmoth Bombyx mori - have been used for the production of silk for thousands of years, with natural silk still produced by the cultivation of silkworms today. Silkworm cocoons are unwound to create linear silk threads, then re-spun into textiles in much the same way as cotton. Although the applications of silkworm silk are numerous, due to their unique physical and chemical properties, there is also widespread interest in the silks of several other insects.
Spider silk, in particular, offers numerous possibilities within the technical textiles industry, due to its incredible tensile strength and elasticity; characteristics which have not yet been replicated in synthetic materials. Like all insect silks, spider silk fibres consist of repetitive units of protein crystals separated by less structured protein chains. The exact properties and composition of each spider silk vary with its intended function. Major Ampullate or dragline silk, for example, is relatively hydrophobic with very high tensile strength and toughness, as it is used to form the outer rim and spokes of a web. In contrast, hydrophilic capture spiral silks, which form the inner structures of the web, are sticky and highly elastic to effectively entrap prey. This high degree of variability offers enormous potential for the textiles industry, raising the possibility of tailoring the properties of silk to create advanced technical fabrics, for applications such as bulletproof vests, parachute canopies and automobile airbags; biomedical applications, including sutures and tendon and ligament repair; new fabrics, for sportswear and clothing; and even microelectronics.
Although the use of spider silks for microsutures has recently been reported, more widespread application of spider silk technologies is currently limited by the difficulty in producing silks on a commercially viable scale. This is due to the difficulties of rearing spiders in large numbers, due to their highly territorial and cannibalistic nature. As a result, the harvesting of spider silk fibres is extremely time consuming and labour intensive, with production of the only known spider silk garment - an 11 foot by 4 foot shawl made from golden orb spider silk - taking 150 people over five years to produce and costing in excess of £300,000!
.
To overcome these limitations, and allow future development of spider silk technologies, an alternative strategy for spider silk production is required. This makes spider silk production an obvious candidate for genetic modification, inserting spider silk genes into the genome
of other silk-making insects for bioproduction. For example, random insertion of orb spider silk genes into silkworms has allowed production of hybrid spider/silkworm silk using traditional silkworm farming strategies. The resulting hybrid silk contains approximately 10% spider silk
and has greater strength and durability than native silkworm silk, raising the possibility of using transgenic silkworms to produce pure spider silks.
Though straightforward in principle, the exchange of native silkworm genes for spider silk genes, alongside more widespread exploitation of genetic engineering, has been limited by the inherent restrictions of conventional GM technologies.
The generalised process of modifying an organism requires several capabilities, including:
While many different techniques exist for accomplishing each of these steps, most GM technologies offer a compromise between the efficiency of the technique and the ability to accurately and precisely target the locus of interest. Viral genomic delivery technologies effectively deliver nucleic acids to cells and organisms, but fall short on ability to target specific regions of the genome, generally only allowing random insertion of genetic material. In comparison, transposase technologies allow a greater degree of targeting, but leave unwanted traces of exogenous DNA in their wake. Other methods involve the introduction of naked DNA into the cell, which results in insertion into the genome at very low frequencies, usually at random, limiting this approach to organisms that can be economically cultivated at high densities and screened in large numbers. Simply put, most techniques for genetic manipulation are random, inefficient and leave a 'footprint' of foreign DNA. While this is usually tolerated in basic research, it is not acceptable for most commercial applications, and has been a major hurdle for GM animal technologies to date.
The advent of zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology represents a significant breakthrough for commercialisation of GM animal products, offering precisely targeted, efficient genome editing for the first time. Commercially available through Sigma Life Science under the CompoZr brand, this technique can be used to create permanent and heritable changes to an organism of interest.
This high degree of variability offers enormous potential for the textiles industry, raising the possibility of tailoring the properties of silk to create advanced technical fabrics
ZFNs are a class of engineered DNA binding proteins that facilitate targeted editing of the genome by creating double-strand breaks at user-specified locations. These breaks stimulate the cell's natural DNA repair mechanisms - homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) - which can be exploited to achieve rapid and permanent site-specific modification of the desired genes. While HR can be used to insert foreign DNA sequences, NHEJ allows the cell's natural processes to create precisely targeted mimics of natural mutations which leave no traces of foreign DNA. Unlike previous techniques, ZFNs offer excellent sequence specificity, binding 24 to 36 base pair target sequences to virtually eliminate off target effects, and are able to achieve modification rates exceeding 20 %, well above rates for most other technologies.
The technique is already being used to create transgenic silkworms for spider silk production. By allowing precisely targeted insertion of spider genes and concomitant removal of endogenous silkworm silk genes at the same locus, ZFN technology offers the potential for development of transgenic silkworms which will produce native spider silk at commercially viable levels.
GM technologies have revolutionised the research world and have great potential in a variety of commercial applications, but have been limited by the inherent restrictions associated with historical GM technologies. The main drawback of these technologies is their inability to accurately and efficiently target genes of interest, instead relying on random insertion of genetic material into host genomes. These limitations result in the need for extensive and costly screening to identify animals with correct transgene expression (without compromising the viability of the animal), and also result in the co-expression of both the transgene and native homologues already present.
The advent of ZFN technology signifies the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the world of genetic modification, allowing precise, targeted and efficient genome editing for the first time. Production of native spider silk using transgenic silkworms is just one example of the potential commercial applications of this innovative technology, taking us one step closer to the reality of industrial scale biomanufacturing and paving the way for an entirely new spectrum of environmentally friendly materials.
Authors:
Joseph Bedell and Brian Buntaine
Commercial Animal Technologies Group, Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, Sigma Life Science
HEADLINES FOR KRAIG BIOCRAFT LABORATORIES / (KBLB):
PHOTOS FROM VIETNAM POSTED JULY 6, 2018
ANN ARBOR, Mich., – January 7, 2019 –Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“Company”), the leading developer of spider silk based fibers, announces today that it has successfully delivered the first two shipments of its highly specialized silkworms, which produce a silk with the physical characteristics of spider silk, to Vietnam.
Today’s announcement is the culmination of more than 5 years of work, and challenging negotiation, with the government of Vietnam. The silkworms from these first two shipments have already hatched and are now enjoying a fresh mulberry diet, so, for the first time in history, the global demand for spider silk materials has a viable, cost effective, and scalable solution.
“The dream of commercializing our powerful technology is now materializing. This marks a dramatic leap forward in Kraig Labs’ business plan for commercial production and mass marketing of cost effective recombinant spider silk, and becomes the foundation for an entirely new industry,” said, COO, Jon Rice. “To our long-term shareholders, who have taken this journey with us, as well as our team in the US and Vietnam, who have worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality, I cannot thank you enough. As we start the New Year, full of new opportunity, we truly have something incredible to celebrate.”
The Company has been working with leading sericulture experts, biotechnology institutions, and governmental agencies, in Vietnam, to further boost the silk industry with our revolutionary technology. Kraig Labs is currently finalizing renovation plans for a ~46,000 square foot production factory in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.
“Our plan has always been to bring our technology to the silk producing regions of the world for rapid scale-up,” said, CEO and Founder, Kim Thompson. “Today we see the fruits of that effort. With its massive silk infrastructure and production capacity, Vietnam is an ideal location to launch our technology scale-up. Congratulations to our team and shareholders, as we prepare for the realization of large scale production.”
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