I was watching videos on genetic engineering and a biologist complained about the fact that certain species of spider have their silk genes protected by patents, making them impossible to incorporate into an “open source” genetic engineering project where the final DNA is published and free for anyone to make. I also found this article from a company flexing their silk patent.

Can someone explain to me how a gene in a creature that evolved naturally through millions of years before humans even existed can be thought of as owned by certain humans? How are natural genes and their proteins eligible as patentable inventions? Like, these aren’t artificial GMOs, the spiders that evolved these genes have existed long before us, we discovered them, nothing more.