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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
Published on: July 18, 2012
Control of expression of silk protein genes
1Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw.
Abstract:
At least three silk genes are specifically expressed in the posterior, and five other genes in middle, silk glands. The products of genes active in PSG include fibroin, L-chain fibroin and P25 protein. PSG genes as well as the Ser-1 gene, differing in structure, exhibit a striking degree of homology of their 5' flanking sequences. This suggests the presence of common regulatory mechanisms. The expression of silk protein genes is probably controlled by tissue-specific and general transcriptional factors. Hormones seem to participate in the regulation of expression of silk protein genes.
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