Attachment of zebra and quagga mussel adhesive plaques to diverse substrates

Abstract

Like marine mussels, freshwater zebra and quagga mussels adhere via the byssus, a proteinaceous attachment apparatus. Attachment to various surfaces allows these invasive mussels to rapidly spread, however the adhesion mechanism is not fully understood. While marine mussel adhesion mechanics has been studied at the individual byssal-strand level, freshwater mussel adhesion has only been characterized through whole-mussel detachment, without direct interspecies comparisons on different substrates. Here, adhesive strength of individual quagga and zebra mussel byssal plaques were measured on smooth substrates with varying hydrophobicity—glass, PVC, and PDMS. With increased hydrophobicity of substrates, adhesive failures occurred more frequently, and mussel adhesion strength decreased. A new failure mode termed 'footprint failure' was identified, where failure appeared to be adhesive macroscopically, but a microscopic residue remained on the surface. Zebra mussels adhered stronger and more frequently on PDMS than quagga mussels. While their adhesion strengths were similar on PVC, there were differences in the failure mode and the plaque-substrate interface ultrastructure. Comparisons with previous marine mussel studies demonstrated that freshwater mussels adhere with comparable strength despite known differences in protein composition. An improved understanding of freshwater mussel adhesion mechanics may help explain spreading dynamics and will be important in developing effective antifouling surfaces.

Performance of environmentally friendly, liquid-infused coatings against biofouling: evaluation of macrofouling and microbially induced corrosion in freshwater environments

“…13 In addition to the economic and safety aspects that arise from the damage to infrastructure elements, biofouling also has an ecological dimension as invasive species are introduced to different ecosystems via ships, and can thus suppress indigenous species. [14][15][16][17][18][19] Mussels are especially concerning because of their particularly strong adhesion to many substrate materials, mediated by a durable natural glue based on dopa-enriched proteins. 20 No synthetic glue is similarly unaffected by water or turbulent forces.…”

Polydopamine-modified decellularized intestinal scaffolds loaded with adipose-derived stem cells promote intestinal regeneration

“…Polydopamine (PDA), a mussel-inspired molecule, has been widely employed as an adhesive layer on various biomedical substrates. 12 First, the synthesis of PDA is simple, efficient and cost-saving, which can promote the large-scale application of PDA. Second, PDA not only has good biocompatibility but also has high stability and is widely used to regulate the reactions between cells and biomaterials.…”

Abalone adhesion: The role of various adhesion forces and their proportion to total adhesion force

“…The clingfish can be attached to the rock surface through the sucker of the abdomen to prevent it from being washed away by the current [23][24][25][26][27][28]. Mussels can adhere to the surface of the object by mucin secreted by the byssus [29][30][31]. The excellent adhesion properties of animals in nature have aroused great interest of researchers.…”