Transgenic silkworm for the production of recombinant protein: A review

Abstract

Transgenic silkworms (Bombyx mori) have emerged as promising bioreactors for the production of recombinant proteins, offering an effective alternative to conventional microbial and mammalian expression systems. Their innate ability to secrete large amounts of silk proteins, combined with robust post-translational modification machinery, enables the synthesis of complex therapeutic proteins with structural fidelity and biological activity. Advances in genetic engineering—particularly the use of piggyBac transposons, CRISPR/Cas9, and synthetic biology approaches—have facilitated the stable integration and high-level expression of heterologous genes in silkworm silk glands. This review highlights recent progress in transgenic silkworm technology, including silk protein engineering for biomaterials, scalable recombinant protein production, and applications in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and tissue engineering. The unique biosafety of domesticated silkworms, their cost-effectiveness, and scalability further reinforce their potential for industrial biomanufacturing. Future perspectives emphasize the integration of genome editing and computational modeling to enhance protein yield, functionality, and therapeutic specificity, positioning transgenic silkworms as a sustainable and versatile platform in biotechnology and global health.