German scientists have created partial strands of spider-silk proteins in a step toward recreating the real thing.
[T]he team manufactured two genetically-engineered spider silk proteins using bacteria. These were fed into a device that consists of three channels etched into glass.
“The protein is introduced from one channel and from the two other channels salt solutions are introduced,” explained Mr Rammensee.
The salt causes the proteins to clump together, which are then forced down a narrow channel that extrudes the mixture as a fibre.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7370737.stm
