Understanding Marine Mussel Adhesion

Abstract

In addition to identifying the proteins that have a role in underwater adhesion by marine mussels, research efforts have focused on identifying the genes responsible for the adhesive proteins, environmental factors that may influence protein production, and strategies for producing natural adhesives similar to the native mussel adhesive proteins. The production-scale availability of recombinant mussel adhesive proteins will enable researchers to formulate adhesives that are waterimpervious and ecologically safe and can bind materials ranging from glass, plastics, metals, and wood to materials, such as bone or teeth, biological organisms, and other chemicals or molecules. Unfortunately, as of yet scientists have been unable to duplicate the processes that marine mussels use to create adhesive structures. This study provides a background on adhesive proteins identified in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, and introduces our research interests and discusses the future for continued research related to mussel adhesion.

Mussels as a Model System for Integrative Ecomechanics

“…Mytilus byssus biochemistry has been extensively reviewed from different perspectives (Silverman & Roberto 2007, Lee et al 2011, Waite & Broomell 2012. Here, we divide byssus biochemistry into three interconnected themes: the molecular composition and construction of the Mytilus byssus, the role of the environment in normal byssus formation, and the byssus in changing environments.…”

Mussels’ sticky feet lead to applications

“…L-dopa was in the threads themselves, it was in the adhesive plaque, and it was in the mussels' living tissue. Since then, Waite and other researchers have identified at least 10 different mussel adhesion proteins that contain DOPA (2).…”

Sea star tenacity mediated by a protein that fragments, then aggregates

“…The diversity of marine adhesives is therefore huge, but, from a functional point of view, two main types of adhesion have been distinguished (5). Permanent adhesion involves the secretion of an adhesive that hardens with time and is characteristic of sessile organisms that remain in the same place throughout their life (e.g., the attachment of barnacles on rocks) (6,7). Temporary adhesion, on the contrary, allows simultaneous adhesion and locomotion, thus enabling adult organisms to graze, hunt, or locate a mate, and larval forms to explore immersed surfaces before they metamorphose (e.g., the foot secretions of gastropod molluscs) (8)(9)(10).…”