Amyloid-like conformation and interaction for the self-assembly in barnacle underwater cement.

Barnacles are unique marine sessile crustaceans and permanently attach to various foreign surfaces during most of their lifespan. The protein complex secreted from their body and used to attach their calcareous shell to almost all surfaces in water has long fascinated us because we have limited technology with which to attach materials in water. Unraveling the mechanism of underwater attachment by barnacles is thus important for interface science, for the understanding of the biology and physiology of barnacles, and for the development of technology to prevent fouling. Previous studies have indicated that the intermolecular interactions optimized by conformations of the adhesive proteins are crucial in the self-assembly and/or curing of the adhesive. This study aimed to identify the possible structural determinants responsible for the self-assembly. Thioflavin T binding screening of peptides designed on the basis of the primary structure of a bulk 52 kDa cement protein indicated the presence of some amylo...