Spider Glue Evolves Faster Than Its Genes, Study Shows
Scientists have discovered that orb weaver spiders’ web glue properties evolve based on the species’ living environment. Although the web glue consists of similar proteins, the proportions differ, affecting the glue’s properties. The glue’s ability to absorb water from the atmosphere and its stickiness are crucial for the spiders’ survival, and understanding these adaptations could have potential applications in industry, medicine, and beyond. Spider silk fibers and glues represent a fantastic model for answering such questions since they are primarily made of proteins and proteins are encoded by genes.