Meeting Abstract

S10-1.6  Saturday, Jan. 7  Barnacle Glue, is curing like blood clotting? RITTSCHOF, D.*; DICKINSON, G.H.; WAHL, K.J.; BARLOW, D.; ORIHUELA, B.; VEGA, I.E.; EVERETT, R.; Duke University; University of Pittsburgh; Naval Research Laboratory; Naval Research Laboratory; Duke University Marine Laboratory; University of Puerto Rico; Naval Research Laboratory ritt@duke.edu

We hypothesized that barnacle glue curing is related to biological materials that coagulate in water. We used uncured glue in conjunction with biological, microscopic, biochemical, immunological, chemical, infrared and tandem mass spectrometry and proteomic techniques to gain insight into barnacle glue curing. Our data support the working hypothesis that barnacle glue curing is related to blood clotting. Glue curing includes proteolytic activation of enzymes and structural proteins and cross linking by a transglutaminase and potentially other enzymes. Peptides generated during the activation process serve as barnacle settlement pheromones. Barnacle glue curing seems to be a form of wound healing.