Polymerizing Like Mussels Do: Toward Synthetic Mussel Foot Proteins and Resistant Glues

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Justus Horsch - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Patrick Wilke - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Matthias Pretzler - , University of Vienna (Author)
  • Maximilian Seuss - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Inga Melnyk - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Dario Remmler - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Andreas Fery - , Chair of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Annette Rompel - , University of Vienna (Author)
  • Hans G. Börner - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)

Abstract

A novel strategy to generate adhesive protein analogues by enzyme-induced polymerization of peptides is reported. Peptide polymerization relies on tyrosinase oxidation of tyrosine residues to Dopaquinones, which rapidly form cysteinyldopa-moieties with free thiols from cysteine residues, thereby linking unimers and generating adhesive polymers. The resulting artificial protein analogues show strong adsorption to different surfaces, even resisting hypersaline conditions. Remarkable adhesion energies of up to 10.9 mJ m−2 are found in single adhesion events and average values are superior to those reported for mussel foot proteins that constitute the gluing interfaces.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)15728-15732
Number of pages5
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume57
Issue number48
Publication statusPublished - 26 Nov 2018
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 30246912

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • adhesives, enzyme-induced polymerization, mussel glue, synthetic protein mimics, tyrosinase activation