
Spider silk is among the strongest known biomaterials. It is the silk used for the framework of the web and it is used to catch the spider if it falls. As such, it is stronger and much more flexible than KEVLAR?. Due to its incredible mechanical properties, spider silk is being considered for use as a new biomaterial for drug delivery and tendon and ligament replacement/repair, as well as athletic gear, military applications, airbags, and tire cords. However, spiders cannot be farmed for their silk as they are cannibalistic and territorial. The most reasonable alternative for producing spider silk fibers is to utilize genetic engineering to produce the proteins in a foreign host and then spin fibers from the synthetic protein.