Complex proteins in the suction-cup cavities on squid tentacles that build squid ring teeth (SRT), which enable the creatures to grasp prey, could be engineered to form a biodegradable alternative to plastic, according to researchers at Penn State University in the US. The team of scientists from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK has published their findings online ahead of print in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Synthetic SRT would possess great versatility, meaning that it could be integrated into textiles that release fewer synthetic fibres, which cause ocean pollution, during washing. The material could also provide defensive coatings and films that offer protection during biological and chemical warfare.
Complex proteins in the suction-cup cavities on squid tentacles that build squid ring teeth (SRT), which enable the creatures to grasp prey, could be engineered to form a biodegradable alternative to plastic, according to researchers at Penn State University in the US. Bacteria such as E.coli could be genetically engineered to produce the proteins in industrial quantities. Synthetic SRT would possess great versatility, meaning that it could be integrated into textiles that release fewer synthetic fibres, which cause ocean pollution, during washing. The material could also provide defensive coatings and films that offer protection during biological and chemical warfare.