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Progress in the Study of Adhesion by Marine Invertebrate Larvae

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Biological Adhesives

Abstract

This chapter summarises recent progress towards the characterisation of bioadhesives secreted by the larvae of marine invertebrates, with reference also to their subsequent developmental stages. These adhesives vary structurally and biochemically between species and between life stages to satisfy the requirements of the particular organism for permanent or temporary/reversible adhesion, often under hostile conditions. To date, a small number of bioadhesives have been described for the adult forms of marine invertebrates, while a functional understanding of larval adhesives remains elusive. Progress is essential, however, since the larval forms perform a key role in the fouling of marine structures, and their adhesives may have characteristics of interest for development of synthetic, bio-inspired glues. Despite recent advances in the fields of proteomics and genomics, major obstacles exist in the isolation and analysis of tiny quantities of larval adhesives, which have largely precluded these approaches. Further challenges relate to the in situ detection of larval adhesive materials, being usually secreted underwater and buried at the interface between a solid substrate and the organism’s body. Here, we discuss a range of novel experimental approaches that have surmounted these technical issues and provided useful insight into the morphology and composition of larval bioadhesives in situ. These involve imaging and spectroscopic approaches as well as nano-/micromechanical and surface-sensitive techniques that have enabled quantification of adhesion forces and surface adsorption of purified adhesive proteins.

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Acknowledgements

N. Aldred acknowledges funding support from the Office of Naval Research award number N00014-13-1-0634 to A. S. Clare and N. Aldred. N. Aldred receives additional support from a Newcastle University SAgE Faculty Research Fellowship. Both authors would like to extend their gratitude to Prof. A. M. Smith for the invitation to contribute a chapter to this edited volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Nick Aldred

  2. Brookes Bell Hong Kong Ltd, Room 2207, Tower 2, Lippo Centre, 89, Queensway, Hong Kong

    Luigi Petrone

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  1. Nick Aldred
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  2. Luigi Petrone
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Correspondence to Nick Aldred .

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  1. Department of Biology, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York, USA

    Andrew M. Smith

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Aldred, N., Petrone, L. (2016). Progress in the Study of Adhesion by Marine Invertebrate Larvae. In: Smith, A. (eds) Biological Adhesives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46082-6_4

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