Wresting the muscle from mussel beards: research and applications

Marine and zebra mussels secrete byssal beards to attach themselves opportunistically to hard surfaces in their environment. By doing this, they naturally earn a reputation as fouling pests. The protein precursors of byssus in mussels are being investigated in the hope not only of discovering specific measures against these marine foulers, but also to gain some insights into the technically challenging task of engineering adhesive bonds underwater. Although byssal proteins are all part of the bearded glue that bonds them to a surface, they can be subdivided into three types depending on the function that they serve in byssal threads: (1) fibrous proteins form the load-bearing cables in the core of the threads, (2) cuticular proteins form a protective coat around the cables, and (3) adhesive proteins connect the cables to a foreign surface. A flaw in any one of these will undermine a mussel's ability to attach. The fibrous proteins can be collagenous, silk-like, elastic, or any combination of these. Covering these are the cuticular proteins, which are distinguished by their surface coupling properties, tandemly repeated primary sequence, and their high content of lysine and the exotic amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (DOPA). The adhesive proteins are of low molecular weight, contain DOPA, and assemble to form microcellular solids (foams). Several of these proteins are already attracting biotechnological attention as cell and tissue attachment factors, anticorrosives, and metal-sequestering reagents.