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Updated: May 23, 2026

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna
Published on: September 14, 2016
Optical spectroscopy of marine bioadhesive interfaces
Daniel E Barlow1, Kathryn J Wahl
1Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375-5342, USA.
Abstract:
Marine organisms have evolved extraordinarily effective adhesives that cure underwater and resist degradation. These underwater adhesives differ dramatically in structure and function and are composed of multiple proteins assembled into functional composites. The processes by which these bioadhesives cure--conformational changes, dehydration, polymerization, and cross-linking--are challenging to quantify because they occur not only underwater but also in a buried interface between the substrate and the organism. In this review, we highlight interfacial optical spectroscopy approaches that can reveal the biochemical processes and structure of marine bioadhesives, with particular emphasis on macrofoulers such as barnacles and mussels.
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