Application of Transgenic Silk Fibroin to Biomaterials

As a biomaterial, silk fibroin (SF) derived from the silkworm Bombyx mori exhibits excellent biocompatibility, controllable biodegradability, minimal inflammatory responses, outstanding mechanical properties, and high processability that enables the formation of various tailored morphologies. However, the properties of natural silk proteins alone may not satisfy all application requirements. To overcome these limitations, researchers have been modifying silk protein genes using genetic engineering and molecular biotechnology to produce novel SFs with specific functions. This approach has expanded the application range of SF and enhanced its overall value. Transgenic (TG) expression technology provides an effective means for functional modification of SF, significantly advancing its applications in biomedical and other fields. This review discusses recent structural studies of B. mori SF, along with the design, production, and validation of targeted TG SFs, as well as the latest developments in TG silk technology. Furthermore, it outlines the significance of TG SF development based on comparisons with conventional silk. In particular, it highlights the advantages of TG SF in wound dressing materials, bone regeneration, and the development of small-diameter artificial vascular grafts. Lastly, we discussed the challenges and limitations that TG silk development currently faces.