A few weeks ago, we reported on a new surgical glue inspired by mussels, which stops bleeding wounds in 60 seconds. Now, there’s more mussel-news. Scientists never knew how exactly mussels protect themselves from the crashing waves and strong currents. But they recently discovered that mussels use a chemical primer to cement themselves to rocks. Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara turned to a molecule from microbes, which forms sticky bonds with negatively charged surfaces—an early step in mussels’ cementing process. But surfaces under ocean water can have a thin layer of positively charged ions, which would block catechol binding. By modifying the microbial compound’s lysine, the researchers found that the amino acid works like a paint primer to prepare the surface. In other words, it uses its own positive charge to elbow out other positive ions on the surface, clearing the way for adhesion. This finding may help scientists to develop even better glues.
This is how mussels glue themselves to rocky shorelines, and yes, this is knowledge we can use
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