LOL!!!
I've not claimed "birds can't fly". The issue is that KBLB are claiming they've suddenly discovered birds can fly, and claim they have somehow converted that awareness into a profit center. That's looking more and more like total hokum, of course.
Silk worms produce silk. Recombinant silk worms produce silk with a fraction of recombinant protein in it... which alters the properties of the fibers. The scientists have looked at it, and they've published scientific articles (referenced in the review I linked)... creating a literature which says that there are a couple of problems with the recombinant silk worm approach. Those problems that exist... are problems KBLB finds it useful to ignore... and worse... they're denying that problems exist while their competitors are only being honest about the reality.
But, the problems that exist are FACT.
KBLB ignoring what the science says the issues are... doesn't make them go away... and KBLB is made to look stupid, or worse, because they're in denial about what the problems are, instead of addressing them honestly. And, as has been my issue with KBLB since I became aware of it... the problems that exist aren't the problem... KBLB being dishonest about the existence of the problems... as their first knee jerk response... is the problem.
The articles pointed out a number of obvious problems...
First, inconsistencies in the random protein composition of fibers mixing variable fractions of worm silk and spider silk proteins, and assembly issues resulting from that random protein production, causing wide variation in fiber strength. Then, problems with assembly resulting from the lack of orientation during production, and the inability to orient fibers after they've been made.
The recombinant fibers being produced appear they are are not "spider silk"... rather than an inconsistent and amorphous mix of silk worm and spider silk proteins. That makes un-oriented and variable fibers that can be a bit stronger than "regular" silk worm silk in some portions, but not in others...
What that doesn't do... is make uniform and consistently strong fibers... rather than fibers that vary in strength. Think of the fiber as fishing string... that ranges between 2 pound test (silk worm silk) and 4 pound test (silk worm silk with some random spider protein in it)... when spider silk is 50 pound test, and what the competition is really focused on is on trying to duplicate what spiders do, to create a consistent 200 or 500 pound test line ?
The competition isn't limited to "duplicating" spider silk, rather than focused on learning what spiders do, and applying those lessons in figuring out how to make something much better. But, KBLB is stuck with limits that will prevent them from succeeding in duplicating the spiders efforts.
One issue... is that the mix of recombinant proteins in the fibers aren't consistent. Another... is that the fibers made are not able to be oriented, and thus are not capable of being made as strong as they should be.
To be strong like spider silk should be... the "building blocks" the fibers are made from need to be properly oriented... like lego blocks that are properly interconnected to provide strength... not like lego blocks that are randomly linked to others at odd angles, or just stacked on top of each other vertically. Strength in fibers, as strength in lego construction, comes from having all of the "parts" interlocking properly.
That happens for two reasons.
One is because the protein "parts" are designed to go together as they do in a way that has them "fit" properly. The other is because they are assembled properly.
The recombinant worms are making proteins in a mix that has them mixing tinker toys and lego blocks, not "fitting" things together properly... both because of variation in the amount of this versus that being produced, and because, even if the mix didn't vary too widely, the mix of this and that aren't optimized for fit.
Spider silk fibers are naturally adapted to have the spiders making protein "parts" in ratios that have them fit together properly, and then the spiders stretch the silk as they make it... which has the parts each being fitted properly into place. Spiders make the right components in the proper ratio, and then stretch their silks to get the components to fit, but silk worms don't do that.. and can't do that.
Similarly, you can put 6% beef protein in your tofu and try to market it by calling it "beef"... or "like" beef... while claiming it is just as good as natural beef... but... making the effort to say it, while ignoring the problems, still doesn't make that tofu into a steak.
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