Self-assembly of a barnacle cement protein into intertwined amyloid fibres and determination of their adhesive and viscoelastic properties
Tilbury, M.A.; Tran, T.Q.; Shingare, D.; Lefevre, M.; Power, A.M.; Leclère, P.; Wall, J.G. (2023). Self-assembly of a barnacle cement protein into intertwined amyloid fibres and determination of their adhesive and viscoelastic properties. J. R. Soc. Interface 20(205): 20230332. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2023.0332 In: Journal of the Royal Society. Interface. The Royal Society: London. ISSN 1742-5689; e-ISSN 1742-5662, more |   |
| Keywords | Pollicipes pollicipes (Gmelin, 1791 [in Gmelin, 1788-1792]) [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top | - Tilbury, M.A.
- Tran, T.Q., more
- Shingare, D.
- Lefevre, M., more
| - Power, A.M.
- Leclère, P., more
- Wall, J.G.
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| Abstract | The stalked barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes uses a multi-protein cement to adhere to highly varied substrates in marine environments. We investigated the morphology and adhesiveness of a component 19 kDa protein in barnacle cement gland- and seawater-like conditions, using transmission electron microscopy and state-of-the art scanning probe techniques. The protein formed amyloid fibres after 5 days in gland-like but not seawater conditions. After 7–11 days, the fibres self-assembled under gland-like conditions into large intertwined fibrils of up to 10 µm in length and 200 nm in height, with a distinctive twisting of fibrils evident after 11 days. Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-nanodynamic mechanical analysis of the protein in wet conditions determined E′ (elasticity), E′′ (viscosity) and tan δ values of 2.8 MPa, 1.2 MPa and 0.37, respectively, indicating that the protein is a soft and viscoelastic material, while the adhesiveness of the unassembled protein and assembled fibres, measured using peak force quantitative nanomechanical mapping, was comparable to that of the commercial adhesive Cell-Tak™. The study provides a comprehensive insight into the nanomechanical and viscoelastic properties of the barnacle cement protein and its self-assembled fibres under native-like conditions and may have application in the design of amyloid fibril-based biomaterials or bioadhesives. |
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