Replies to post #89053 on Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc (KBLB)

[rayovac812]

The disadvantage is that any changes that need to be made to customize the properties of the silk to meet the application cannot be done very quickly whereas Spiber can do it.

I don't know that any of the other strains made are being produced. Though I think I remember being told that MS is several fibers. Even without that information, it seems they can adjust properties by how the fibers are processed. It sounds to me that a different set of protocols could adjust fiber properties as well. We know Big Red had variability. There are ways to tweak current fibers and run with any of the non-primary strains. Apparently processing plays a role.

What I am suprised hasn’t been pointed out in this case is that the tortoise has had a huge head start which looks like it may come down to the wire at the end, even with the hare giving their all.

This is why I am stressing the economics. "At the end" the economics will determine if they are competitive and stay in business. I have no doubt there are processes to very easily break the proteins down and solidify or make a goo according to what the silkworms produce. It may be that Japan will be the only place they are competitive, though it appears unlikely, given the fact that the cost basis is so much higher for Spiber/Amsilk. Japan can enact protectionist import policy, and that might save Spiber, though it still isn't healthy when it comes to foreign relations and principles of freedom.

Also we have a board member here telling us his family signed a deal of some sort.(expecting PR) Does this mean this company has already had there hands on MS, and signed a deal for XX tons of MS for a specific purpose?

Some of what you are saying has merit, regarding the tortoise having a head start. I just wonder if you are confusing which company represents the tortoise. Did I see Spiber has been at it since 2004?

[es1]

The disadvantage is that any changes that need to be made to customize the properties of the silk to meet the application cannot be done very quickly whereas Spiber can do it

I personally think you are mistaken.
I know Spiber SAYS they can tweak the fiber but lets be realistic. How are they actually tweaking here?

The only "instant" tweak I see is the adjustment of ratio of spider protein to worm protein.
Since I am sure they are trying for the strongest fiber they can get the tweak will only result in a weaker fiber than what they have now.
So the other alternative would be to put a different dna strand in the ecoli and start with a new protein.

I am not sure how it is that they got the DNA into the ecoli they are using. But I do know that...

1 KBLB has a platform worm that could be tweaked in the same way as the ecoli.

2 KBLB has ZFNs which will make that tweaking a lot less random.

3 KBLB is using an animal that is capable of spinning any spider protein and ecoli are limited to shorter strands of DNA because of the limits off ecoli expression.

So while you can take the word of the CEO of spiber that they can and have tweaked their silk into different types of fiber I feel it is wiser to use a bit of logic to wipe out the CEOs biased opinion of his product. It is logical to assume that if ANY fiber they had was better than the one they are trying to produce they would be trying to produce the better fber.

I think the fiber they can make now is the ONLY fiber they can make at this point. ~The CEO is just doing what CEOs do and telling the world that they are the "leader" in spider fiber.

Everyone in the spider silk industry claims to be the first. Actually RL has that title already with his goats

JMHO