Meeting Abstract
The rocky intertidal zone is one of the most punishing ecosystems and requires organisms to overcome a multitude of stressors in order to survive. An adaptation for attachment employed by mussels are byssal threads. Byssal threads are proteinaceous filaments that anchor a mussel to the rock surface. The byssal threads consist of a elastic proximal region, a stiff distal region and a adhesive plaque that is attached to the rock surface. The tenacity of byssal threads fluctuates in response to a variety of factors in nature including seasonal wave action, reproductive cycles, and the mussel species. Mytilus edulis byssal threads increase in tenacity in the late winter and early spring when compared to the summer months. The reproductive cycles of mussels may also impact byssal thread tenacity through the allocation of energy. Different species of mussels have different ranges of byssal thread tenacity. Mytilus californianus has a higher byssal thread tenacity compared to M. edulis and Mytilus trossulus. Byssal threads’ properties and strong adhesive plaques has led to an interest in creating synthetic byssal threads for use as a dynamic material and waterproof adhesive. While the adhesive plaque has attracted study for use as a waterproof adhesive, few studies have focused on the influence of environmental factors on the composition, structure, and function of the threads. Through this research, the mechanisms that are responsible for the adaptability of the byssal threads will be identified and the role wave exposure has on the mussel byssal thread amino acid sequences and mechanical and morphological characteristics will be determined.
