Mussel power makes better glue

By Hannah Devlin

"The secret of mussels' sticking power has been uncovered by scientists, promising new strong glues that could be used in medicine and industry (Hannah Devlin writes).

Research in the United States has identified the mechanism by which the shellfish cling to objects underwater, suggesting clues to the development of glues that would work in wet environments such as the human body.

Details of the study, led by researchers at Northwestern University, Illinois, are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The study found that mussels secrete sticky threads that stiffen to a nylon-like consistency. The glue is strong yet elastic - a combination difficult to replicate in man-made glues.

The mussels' glue gland has two compartments: one produces resin-like proteins and the other chemicals that behave like hardeners. The resulting glue can adhere to almost anything."