IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,414,552
Granted Patent B2
US 12,414,552 · App. 17/474,393 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Methods, compositions and systems for production of recombinant spider silk polypeptides

Inventor: David L. Brigham (Charlotte, NC)
Assignee: EGI-LENDERS, LLC
A01K67/68A01K67/63C07K14/43518C07K14/43586C07K14/78C12N15/8509C12N15/902A01K2217/05A01K2217/15A01K2227/703A01K2227/706A01K2267/01C07K2319/00C12N2015/8518
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,414,552
App. No.
17/474,393
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are methods, compositions, and systems for transforming silkworms to produce spider silk and analogs of spider silk. In certain embodiments, the method may include inserting a DNA sequence coding for at least a portion of a spider silk fibroin polypeptide, or an analog of a spider silk fibroin polypeptide, positioned between at least a portion of the 5′ and 3′ ends of a silkworm fibroin gene to generate a fusion gene construct having a sequence that encodes for a polypeptide comprising both spider silk fibroin and silkworm silk fibroin sequences. In certain embodiments, the fused gene is able to replace a native gene present in the silkworm such that the transformed silkworm expresses a polypeptide comprising a spider silk fibroin polypeptide, or an analog thereof, and expresses significantly less of the native silkworm silk.

Claims (7)

1. An isolated nucleic acid that encodes a spider silk fibroin polypeptide or an analog of a spider silk fibroin polypeptide, operably linked to at least one silkworm fibroin nucleic acid sequence, wherein the silkworm is Bombyx mori, Bombyx mandarina, Antheraea peryni, or Antheraea yamamai;

wherein the at least one silkworm nucleic acid sequence comprises a 5′ end of a native silkworm fibroin gene, a 3′ end of a native silkworm fibroin gene, or both a 5′ end of a native silkworm fibroin gene and a 3′ end of a native silkworm fibroin gene;

wherein the analog of the spider silk fibroin polypeptide is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 2800 nucleotides encoding alternating beta-sheet domains and alpha-helix domains, wherein the amino acid sequence of the beta-sheet domains are each at least 60% identical to at least one of the betasheet domains as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, and wherein the analog of the spider silk fibroin polypeptide is at least 50% stronger than native silkworm silk.

2. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the silkworm is Bombyx mori or Bombyx mandarina.

3. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the silkworm is Antheraea peryni or Antheraea yamamai.

4. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the silkworm fibroin gene 5′ end comprises a nucleic acid sequence as set forth in at least one of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 10, 15, or 20.

5. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the silkworm fibroin gene 3′ end comprises a nucleic acid sequence as set forth in at least one of SEQ ID NOs: 8, 13, 18, or 22.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2021
From: BOGIN, ROBERT I.
To: EGI-LENDERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 058367/0243 →
TRANSFER AFTER FORECLOSURE ON SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2021
From: NIEDERMAYER, ROY I.
To: BOGIN, ROBERT
Reel/Frame 058265/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2021
From: BRIGHAM, DAVID L.
To: ENTOGENETICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057801/0336 →
Continuity (6)
Division 16104469 · Aug 17, 2018
Continuation 14843363 · Sep 2, 2015
Division 12363326 · Jan 30, 2009
Provisional Application 61037937 · Mar 19, 2008
Provisional Application 61025616 · Feb 1, 2008
Related Publication 20210400936A1 · Dec 30, 2021
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