Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Burst Pressure and Fatigue Durability of Commercially Available Duraplasty Sealants.

International forum of allergy & rhinology·2026
Same author

Novel Biomolecule-Infused Gelatin Injectable for Treatment of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury.

The Laryngoscope·2025
Same author

Chondrogenic and chondroprotective response of composite collagen I/II-hyaluronic acid scaffolds within an inflammatory osteoarthritic environment.

Biomaterials science·2025
Same author

Formulation of catechol-containing adhesives for enhanced underwater bonding and workability.

Science and technology of advanced materials·2025
Same author

Tunable Blended Collagen I/II and Collagen I/III Hydrogels as Tissue Mimics.

Macromolecular bioscience·2024
Same author

Biocompatibility of mussel-inspired water-soluble tissue adhesives.

Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Production of Elastin-like Protein Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Immunostaining of Cells in 3D
11:46

Production of Elastin-like Protein Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Immunostaining of Cells in 3D

Published on: May 19, 2018

13.2K

A bioinspired elastin-based protein for a cytocompatible underwater adhesive.

M Jane Brennan1, Bridget F Kilbride1, Jonathan J Wilker2

  • 1School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.

Biomaterials
|February 14, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel bioinspired protein, mELY16, for strong underwater adhesion. This smart biomaterial is biocompatible, tunable, and outperforms current sealants, offering potential for advanced biomedical applications.

Keywords:
Biomedical adhesiveBiomedical glueDOPAMussel adhesive proteinsSurgical adhesiveSurgical glue

More Related Videos

Design and Construction of Artificial Extracellular Matrix aECM Proteins from Escherichia coli for Skin Tissue Engineering
10:30

Design and Construction of Artificial Extracellular Matrix aECM Proteins from Escherichia coli for Skin Tissue Engineering

Published on: June 11, 2015

9.4K
Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel
15:06

Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

Published on: January 27, 2014

12.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Production of Elastin-like Protein Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Immunostaining of Cells in 3D
11:46

Production of Elastin-like Protein Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Immunostaining of Cells in 3D

Published on: May 19, 2018

13.2K
Design and Construction of Artificial Extracellular Matrix aECM Proteins from Escherichia coli for Skin Tissue Engineering
10:30

Design and Construction of Artificial Extracellular Matrix aECM Proteins from Escherichia coli for Skin Tissue Engineering

Published on: June 11, 2015

9.4K
Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel
15:06

Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

Published on: January 27, 2014

12.7K

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Engineering
  • Bioinspired Materials
  • Protein Engineering

Background:

  • Underwater adhesion presents significant challenges for materials science, particularly for biomedical applications requiring biocompatibility.
  • Existing biomedical adhesives often fail to meet the demands for strong, reliable underwater bonding.
  • Bioinspired design principles offer a promising avenue for developing advanced adhesive materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and develop a novel bioinspired protein system capable of strong underwater adhesion.
  • To create a "smart" material with tunable properties for specific applications.
  • To engineer a biocompatible adhesive with enhanced performance compared to current technologies.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed a "smart" adhesive material, ELY16, from an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) produced in Escherichia coli.
  • Modified ELY16 with a tyrosinase enzyme to convert tyrosine residues to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), creating mELY16.
  • Evaluated cytocompatibility, dry and humid adhesion strength, and underwater adhesion strength of ELY16 and mELY16.

Main Results:

  • Both ELY16 and mELY16 demonstrated cytocompatibility and significant dry adhesion (>2 MPa).
  • mELY16 exhibited enhanced protein adsorption to glass and moderate adhesion in humid environments (∼240 kPa).
  • mELY16 showed substantially greater adhesion strength in dry, humid, and underwater conditions compared to fibrin sealant, providing the strongest underwater bonds for a rationally designed protein.

Conclusions:

  • The engineered protein mELY16 shows significant potential as a "smart" underwater adhesive for biomedical applications.
  • High yield production in E. coli enhances its commercial viability compared to natural adhesive proteins.
  • This bioinspired material offers a tunable and biocompatible solution for challenging adhesion requirements.