Transgenic silkworms stably expressing synthetic spider silk genes or composite silkworm/spider silk genes are disclosed. The exogenous spider silk genes are stably intergrated into a defined site of the fibroin heavy chain intron or a fibroin light chain intron of silkworms. Synthetic spider silk proteins and composite spider silk-silkworm genes and proteins are provided. The expression of exogenous spider silk genes is driven by the endogenous fibroin heavy chain promoter, improving the genetic stability of transgenic silkworms. The composite silkworm/spider silk fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical performance, compared to normal silkworm silk fibers and other transgenic silkworm fibers.

The invention relates to polynucleotides, and in particular to novel polynucleotides which represent promoter sequences. The invention is especially concerned with novel promoters for use in germline expression, in that they are substantially operative in only germline cells. In particular, the promoters initiate transcription of genes in the germline cells of an arthropod, and can be used in a gene drive. The invention is also concerned with vectors and gene drive constructs comprising the polynucleotides of the invention. The invention is also concerned with methods of producing arthropods comprising vectors containing such promoters.

Two or more conditional, dominant, lethal gene expression systems provide high levels of penetrance in insects. Lethality is induced at an earlier stage of development and the risk of biochemical resistance is reduced, as compared to a single insect conditional, dominant, lethal gene expression system. The invention is useful for the control of insect populations.

Embodiments provided herein relate to systems for synthetically-engineered reciprocal chromosomal translocation for gene insertion into a population of organisms such as insects.

The invention relates to gene drives, and in particular to genetic sequences and constructs for use in a gene drive. The invention is especially concerned with ultra-conserved and ultra-constrained sequences for use as a gene drive target with the aim of overcoming the development of resistance to the drive. The invention is also concerned with methods of suppressing wild type arthropod populations by use of the gene drive construct described herein.

The invention provides methods for rearing and genetic manipulation of the genome of sap-feeding insects (e.g., white-flies and others) to identify genetic targets for pest control, insecticides for pest control, and approaches to the genetic control of these pests.

The disclosure relates to improved methods of cyto-plasmic incompatibility-based transgenics for pest or vector control. Further disclosed are improved gene drivers for use in genetically modified arthropods and use in methods for controlling and/or reducing arthropod populations.

One variation of a method for producing a target compound includes: during an initial period, genetically modifying a population of insects to produce a target compound; during a growth period succeeding the initial period, cultivating the population of insects; during a treatment period succeeding the growth period, applying a dosage of a stressor to the population of insects, the stressor configured to trigger production of the target compound; in response to a proportion of the target compound within the population of insects exceeding a threshold proportion, harvesting the population of insects; homogenizing the population of insects to form a blend comprising the proportion of the target compound and a second proportion of a set of secondary components; and separating the proportion of the target compound from the second proportion of the set of secondary components for extraction of the proportion of the target compound from the blend.

Pupae counting device that allows the automatic quantification of the youth-adult transition in groups of flies, like Drosophila. It comprises a circular platform, one or more tube holders positioned on the platform, one or more sample tubes, inserted into each tube holder, and intended to contain the pupae, a camera for recording video and images, directed towards the platform, a central motor linked and rotating the platform in front of the camera, until a sample tube of interest is positioned in front of the camera, and an external motor positioned beside the platform, for rotating the sample tube of interest 360 over itself in front of the camera.

Transgenic silkworms stably expressing hagfish thread keratin genes or composite silkworm/hagfish thread keratin genes are disclosed. The exogenous hagfish thread keratin genes are stably integrated into a defined site of the fibroin heavy chain intron or a fibroin light chain intron of silkworms. Synthetic hagfish thread keratin proteins and composite hagfish thread keratin-silkworm genes and proteins are provided. The expression of exogenous hagfish thread keratin genes is driven by the endogenous fibroin heavy chain promoter, improving the genetic stability of transgenic silkworms. The composite silkworm/hagfish thread keratin fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical performance, compared to normal silkworm silk fibers and other transgenic silkworm fibers.