Glueomics: An Expression Survey of the Adhesive Gland of the Sandcastle Worm

Abstract

Random clones were sequenced from a cDNA library constructed from the adhesive gland of Phragmatopoma californica, a marine polycheate that builds protective shells by gluing together sand grains and biogenic mineral fragments. As many as 14 new proteins and two phenoloxidase enzymes were found that may be structural components of or involved in processing the bioadhesive. Glue protein classification was based on the following criteria: (i) the presence of predicted secretion signal peptides, (ii) low complexity sequences, (iii) strongly skewed amino acid compositions enriched with G, Y, K, H, A, or S, (iv) repeating peptide motifs, and (v) homology to known glue proteins, other structural proteins, or enzymes. The new genes provide probes for further characterization of the adhesive gland as well as potential biotechnological resources and insight.

Keywords:

• Bioadhesive
• Glycine-tyrosine rich
• Matrix proteins
• Phragmatopoma californica
• Polycheates

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by a grant from the NIH (R01 EB006463). Some of the sequences were generated during an undergraduate laboratory associated with a molecular bioengineering course at the University of Utah.

Notes

One of a Collection of papers honoring J. Herbert Waite, the recipient in February 2009 of The Adhesion Society Award for Excellence in Adhesion Science, Sponsored by 3 M.