Spiders and their complex webs and special biological characteristics have always attracted scientists. However, their complex genetic makeup makes it difficult to use modern DNA editing tools on it until now. For the first time, the researchers successfully applied a gene editing method called CRISPR-CAS9, a tool that cuts and modifies DNA like molecular scissors, to use it for spiders. This achievement not only sheds light on how spiders develop, but also shows new possibilities for creating custom spider silk.
Professors Edgardo Santiago-Rivera and Thomas Scheibel from Bayreuth University led the study using the Cobweb spider parasteatoda tepidariorum, a model spider commonly used in the biology lab. They achieved two important goals: changing the way spider eyes form and adding new features to the spider’s spinning silk. Their findings appear in the peer-reviewed diary “Angewandte Chemie International Edition”.
In part of the experiment, Professor San Diego and Professor Scheibel shut down a gene called Sine Oculis, which is essential for the formation of spider-eye. When the gene is turned off, some young spiders are born without eyes or abnormal eye shape. The degree of these changes varies, but in some cases, spiders have no eyes at all, clearly indicating the importance of the gene. In the second part of the study, scientists inserted a gene in the lab to track the spider’s silk production gene. This caused the spider to produce glowing red silk threads, proving that new genes have been successfully added without interfering with how the silk is made.
The light in the silk shows that the spider silk gene can be changed to include new functions. Even with this change, silk retains the usual strength and flexibility. Professor Scheibel explained: “The generated mutant filaments showed red fluorescence.
The study also confirmed that sine glasses are absolutely necessary for eye formation. When editing the gene, the spider exhibits a range of effects, from slightly deformed eyes to no eyes at all. Interestingly, in all cases, the lens (the transparent part of the focus light) is still under development, indicating that it is different from the rest of the eye. This discovery provides scientists with a new way to study how spiders create their complex visual systems. As San Diego put it, “Crispr-ko (the stake used to phase out or close genes) affects the development of all eyes of the respective spiders, supporting the role of the previously described Sine Oculis.”
In addition to learning how spiders grow, this study also opens new doors to materials science to study how materials behave and how they are designed. Spider silk has been known for its incredible strength and stretch. Now scientists can change their properties by editing genes, and they can imagine making silk that glows, responds to heat, or has other built-in functions. This study connects biology and materials science in a creative and promising way.
The influence of the works of Professor Santiago and Professor Scherber far exceeds that of spiders. By addressing the problem of editing spider genes, the team made it easier for other scientists to study and modify animals that were previously not easy to use. Their gene editing approach may now be a useful example of experiments involving abnormal organisms. This could lead to new discoveries in evolution and development of high-tech materials.
Journal Reference
Santiago-Rivera E., Scheibel T. “Spider-eye development editing and silk fiber engineering using CRISPR-CAS.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025. Doi:
About the Author
Edgardo Santiago-Rivera is a rising scientist whose research bridges developmental biology and biotechnology. His work focuses on gene regulation and molecular mechanisms that direct complex trait formation in non-traditional model organisms. At the University of Bayreuth, he played a central role in CRISPR-based gene editing, a region that was previously unaffected due to technical challenges. Santiago-Rivera’s interest is to explore how genes shape physical characteristics such as vision and silk production, which can contribute to basic science and applied bioengineering. His innovative use of fluorescent markers in spider silk opens new paths to materials science, impacting wearable technologies, sensors and biologically styled materials. A strong interest in genetic development and application of biological materials, San Diego-River continues to push the boundaries of experimental biology.
Professor Thomas Shebel Is an internationally recognized expert in biological materials and synthetic biology. He made a significant contribution to the study of protein-based materials, especially spider silk, at the University of Dermany, Germany. Scheibel’s research, known for bridging biology with engineering, explores how natural materials can be modified or reproduced in medicine, textiles, and technology. He led the first successful attempt to edit spider silk to produce genes, enabling spiders to rotate luminous silk – a milestone in functional biological materials. With multiple affiliations at Bayreuth’s leading research center, he is a key figure in advancing biological tools and sustainable materials. His work combines a deep understanding of biological science with real-world applications to create new, high-performance and environmentally friendly materials.
