Rapid self-assembly of complex biomolecular architectures during mussel byssus biofabrication.

ABSTRACT: Protein-based biogenic materials provide important inspiration for the development of high-performance polymers. The fibrous mussel byssus, for instance, exhibits exceptional wet adhesion, abrasion resistance, toughness and self-healing capacity-properties that arise from an intricate hierarchical organization formed in minutes from a fluid secretion of over 10 different protein precursors. However, a poor understanding of this dynamic biofabrication process has hindered effective translation of byssus design principles into synthetic materials. Here, we explore mussel byssus assembly in Mytilus edulis using a synergistic combination of histological staining and confocal Raman microspectroscopy, enabling in situ tracking of specific proteins during induced thread formation from soluble pre

SUBMITTER: Priemel T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5343498 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature