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Article: New experimental biology data have been reported by scientists at University of California.(Report)
- Article from:
- Science Letter
- Article date:
- August 18, 2009
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"The marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is tethered to rocks in the intertidal zone by a holdfast known as the byssus. Functioning as a shock absorber, the byssus is composed of threads, the primary molecular components of which are collagen-containing proteins (preCOLs) that largely dictate the higher order self-assembly and mechanical properties of byssal threads," scientists in the United States report (see also Experimental Biology).
"The threads contain additional matrix components that separate and perhaps lubricate the collagenous microfibrils during deformation in tension. In this study, the thread matrix proteins (TMPs), a glycine-, tyrosine-and ...