Question

The Canadian biotech company Nexia engineered trans·genic goats to secrete this material in their milk. (20[5])In (20[2])N. clavipes (20[2])(“EN CLAV-uh-pees”), concentrated (20[1])micelles (20[1])(“MY-sells”) of this material form a “dope” that elongates into a 3-10 (“three ten”) helical liquid crystal in a tapering duct, then is emitted out a spigot. (20[1])This block co-polymer of poly-alanine and alanine-glycine is used by Argyroneta (“ar-GEAR-on-eta”) to make diving bells. (20[1])The major ampullate type of this material has a (*) Young’s modulus that exceeds (10[1])a giga·pascal. (10[1])This (10[1])material forms stronger (10[1])fibers than fibroin (10[2])(“fye-BRO-in”) but is light enough to form draglines (10[1])during ballooning. (10[1])Orb weavers secrete (10[1])this (10[1])substance (10[2])out (10[2])their spinnerets. (10[2])For 10 points, name this elastic material that brown recluses and black widows (10[2])use (10[1])to spin (10[1])webs. (10[1])■END■ (10[2])

ANSWER: spider silk [accept silk protein; accept spiderwebs or webbing until it is read; accept gossamer; accept spidroin; reject “fibroin” or “silk fibroin”]
<Ganon Evans, Science - Biology&gt; ~27410~ &lt;Editor: Adam Silverman>
= Average correct buzz position

Back to tossups

Buzzes

PlayerTeamOpponentBuzz PositionValue
Gregory ZeldovichBelmontHeights1420
Jonathan OuyangUniversity LabHunter A1420
Janani GollapalliLightridgeThomas Jefferson C1420
Brighton RischGreat ValleyMcLean A1420
Andrew LiWinston Churchill BSolon1420
Timothy PorterMaggie Walker ALivingston B1520
Liam ReedMaggie Walker BFreeman1520
Max ChenStrake JesuitJohns Creek B1720
Michelle YuRichard Montgomery AJohns Creek A1720
Spencer ThomasDurham ATStevenson A1820
Brady LaughlinWest PointOkemos1920
Aiden DombroskyHoover BJames W. Robinson4320
Teddy BerenteSaint JosephMaggie Walker C5820
Alex XuCanyon CrestNorthmont A7110
Theodor MartinCarbondaleBloomington7310
Tyler SongWinston Churchill AInnovation Academy A7410
Rohan KherBarringtonSt. Mark's7710
Isaac McCollumHoover ALambert8010
Shaun IyerInnovation Academy BLindbergh8010
Jacob Goldman-WetzlerHastingsLivingston A8710
Tate OsborneAlabama Cyber TechWilliam Fremd8910
Alex ZhangDuPage County ATChattahoochee9210
Aditya KhambekarSeven LakesWalter Payton A9310
Jonathan TaoStevenson BCarl Sandburg9410
Henry FragaleGeorgetown DayThomas Jefferson D9410
Jacob BartaDetroit Catholic Central ARichard Montgomery B9510
Eli CaseyNorfolk Academic GuildElkhorn North9510
Joseph HarrisonDetroit Catholic Central CHunter B9710
Vikas KothariSt. XavierChoate Rosemary Hall9710
Ryan SmithDowningtown STEMThomas Jefferson B11010
Campbell BrownSt. ThomasDetroit Catholic Central B11010
Clete ReinbergerCincinnati HillsFairfield County AT11110
Landon BlockOwensboroWalter Payton B11310
Ali HamzehKinkaidThomas Jefferson A11410
Aditya PatnaikBeavercreekMcLean B11510
Camden WilliamsMexicoNorthmont B11510

Summary

TournamentEditionExact Match?TUHConv. %Power %Neg %Average Buzz
2024 PACE NSC06/08/2024Y36100%36%0%68.00