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Published online 31 May 2001 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news010531-11
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Silk and chips
Silk, one of nature's strongest materials, can be grown in genetically modified potatoes and tobacco.
Researchers have inserted spider genes into potatoes and tobacco plants so that they produce large quantities of silk proteins in their tissues. If these proteins could be spun into thread, they might be used to make not only strong fibres but also non-toxic and biodegradable biomedical fabrics.
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