Recombinant Production of Mussel Byssus Inspired Proteins

Mussel byssus, the holdfast of mussels, has attracted much attention due to the mechanical gradient properties of its threads and the robust and flexible adhesion to various substrates, features that originate mainly from mussel byssus proteins and could be used in potential applications in biomedicine. However, the applications have been impeded owing to the difficulties concerning the extraction of the natural materials, that is, proteins. Recent advances in recombinant production provide a novel approach to generate mussel byssus inspired proteins, even with the opportunities for scale-up production. Here, we review the recently investigated mussel byssus inspired proteins produced by biotechnological approaches and applications thereof with particular emphasis on adhesion and coatings.