The effect of typical seawater cations on the adhesion of mussel protein Mefp-1 based on dissipative quartz crystal microbalance

Mussels are common anchoring organisms that adhere to the surfaces of various substrates with their byssus. The adhesion of mussel to substrates is contingent upon the presence of mussel foot proteins, of which Mytilus edulis foot protein-1 (Mefp-1) has been identified as the most abundant protein. It has been found that lipids are involved in the mussel adhesion process and can facilitate Mefp-1 adhesion. In this research, the adhesion behavior of Mefp-1 on various substrate surfaces under the effect of typical seawater cations with or without the presence of lipid were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Results indicate that the presence of cations Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺ leads to varying degrees of reduction in the adhesion performance of Mefp-1 on different substrates. The degree of this reduction, however, was much alleviated in the presence of palmitic acid, which is involved in the mussel adhesion process. Therefore, the involvement of palmitic acid is advantageous for mussel protein adhesion to the substrate surface in the marine environment. This study illustrated the significant contribution of palmitic acid to mussel adhesion, which can help to better understand biofouling mechanisms and develop biomimetic adhesive materials.