Regular ArticleSolid-State NMR Analysis of Cross-Linking in Mussel Protein Glue
Abstract
Solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectra have been obtained of intact adhesive plaques from the mussel Geukensia demissa labeled by L-[6-13C,6-15N]lysine. The plaques are rich in a polyphenolic protein glue which has 50 or more repeats of a nonapeptide sequence with one lysine per repeat. The average isotopic 15N enrichment of lysyl ϵ nitrogens in the plaques was 4%. These lysyl amines are not involved in ionic complexes and do not form observable concentrations of covalent crosslinks.
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