Properties and biochemistry of byssus

Abstract

Bisus je proteinska struktura koju luče određeni pripadnici razreda Bivalvia. Služi im za učvršćenje na tvrdim površinama ili za stabilizaciju u sedimentu. Može se podijeliti u 4 glavne cjeline: korijen, deblo, niti i adhezivna ploča. Vrlo je specifična struktura budući da im omogućuje snažnu adheziju u vlažnim uvjetima, a u isto vrijeme je i elastična i čvrsta. Zbog tih svojstava danas se sve više i više proučava struktura i biokemija bisusa radi primjene u raznim biomedicinskim i biotehnološkim područjima. U ovome radu dan je kratak pregled građe i sinteze bisusa i detaljniji opis proteina koji im daju te specifične karakteristike te je na kraju opisana njihova povijesna i suvremena primjena.Byssus is a protein structure that is secreted by certain mussels. Its function is to keep them firmly tied to the supstratum or to keep them stabilized in the sediment. It can be divided into 4 distinct regions: the root, the stem, byssus threads and the adhesive placque. It is a very specific structure with properties that provide mussels with adhesion in wet conditions and at the same time the byssus structure is both elastic and firm. Because of these properties, the structure and biochemistry of byssus is being more and more studied for its potential applications in biomedical and biotechnological fields. This paper is a short overview of its synthesis and structure with a more detailed description of the proteins that give byssus these properties along with the description of potential applications of byssus