Single Adhesive Nanofibers from a Live Diatom Have the Signature Fingerprint of Modular Proteins
- Dugdale, T.M.
- Dagastine, R.
- Chiovitti, A.
- Mulvaney, P.
- Wetherbee, R.
DOIAbstract
AbstractThe adhesive and mechanical properties of a cell-substratum adhesive secreted by live diatom cells were examined in situ using atomic force microscopy. The resulting force curves have a regular saw-tooth pattern, the characteristic fingerprint of modular proteins, and when bridged between tip and surface can repeatedly be stretched and relaxed resulting in precisely overlaying saw-tooth curves (up to ∼600 successive cycles). The average rupture force of the peaks is 0.794±0.007 (mean±SE) nN at a loading rate of 0.8μm/s and the average persistence length is 0.026±<0.001 (mean±SE) nm (fit using the worm-like chain model). We propose that we are pulling on single adhesive nanofibers, each a cohesive unit composed of a set number of mod...
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