A genetic and modular design strategy towards multi-functional and self-assembling underwater adhesives

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event A genetic and modular design strategy towards multi-functional and self-assembling underwater adhesives Chao Zhong1*, Mengkui Cui1 and Bolin An1 1 ShanghaiTech University, School of Physical Science and Technology, China Underwater adhesives with tunable compositions and functions have many important applications in both biomedical and marine fields, but remain a big challenge in current adhesive techniques. In previous study, we demonstrated a genetic modular strategy for engineering underwater adhesives based on the fusion of mussel foot proteins (Mfps) from Mytilus galloprovincialis with CsgA, the major subunit of adhesive curli fibers from Escherichia coli [1].​ However, these fibrous materials cannot satisfy all the requirements of ideal medical adhesives and their associated mechanism for underwater adhesion is also not fully understood. We utilize surface force apparatus (SFA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) colloidal probe techniques, coupled with the genetic modular design strategy, to investigate the underwater adhesion mechanism of a variety of fusion proteins with tailor-designed protein domains. Furthermore, using ideal medical adhesives as blueprint, we leverage the genetic modular design strategy to further engineer biocompatible, injectable and ultra-strong adhesives based upon rational recombination of an amyloid-like gelation domain, cell adhesion moieties and mussel foot adhesive proteins. Collectively, this study will provide new insights into the adhesion mechanism of a new type of bio-inspired amyloid underwater adhesives and lay the foundation for engineering multi-compositional and multifunctional underwater adhesives.