authors contributed equally to this work.One Sentence Summary: Siderophore-inspired, mussel foot protein mimetic adhesives resist oxidation and reveal a synergistic catechol-lysine interplay that enables wet adhesion to mineral surfaces Abstract: In physiological fluids and seawater, adhesion of synthetic polymers to solid surfaces is severely limited by high salt, pH, and hydration, yet these conditions have not deterred the evolution of effective adhesion by mussels. Mussel foot proteins provide insights about adhesive adaptations: notably, the abundance and proximity of catecholic Dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) and lysine residues hint at a synergistic interplay in adhesion. Certain siderophores-bacterial iron-chelators-consist of paired catechol and lysine functionalities thereby providing a convenient experimental platform to explore molecular synergies in bioadhesion. These siderophores and synthetic analogs exhibit robust adhesion (W adh ≥15mJ/m 2 )to mica in saline pH 3.5-7.5 and resist oxidation. The adjacent catechol-Lys placement provides a "1-2 punch", whereby Lys evicts hydrated cations from the mineral surface, allowing catechol binding to underlying oxides.