One snail, five slimes: Collagen and calcium reshape mucus for different jobs
Snails are particularly active after a rain shower. Even on the Max Planck Campus in Potsdam-Golm, common brown-lipped snails (Cepaea nemoralis) leave behind shiny trails of mucus. Researchers from the "Biomaterials" department saw the slime as a promising natural material. The snail does not produce just one type of slime but can vary it as needed, making it liquid, solid, sticky or slippery.
Snails exhibit remarkable versatility in producing different types of mucus for various functions, from locomotion to defense. Researchers from the "Biomaterials" department at the Max Planck Institute have delved into the biochemical mechanisms behind this adaptability, publishing their findings in Science. The common brown-lipped snail (Cepaea nemoralis) generates five distinct mucus types using the same fundamental building blocks: proteins, primarily collagen VI, and calcium.
By manipulating the proportions of these components, the snail can tailor the mucus's density, toughness, and other mechanical properties. Collagen VI, often associated with human skin, bones, and joints, plays a crucial role in controlling the protein network's structure. When calcium, either in ionic or calcite form, is introduced, it either cross-links the mucus or reinforces it.
This study, the first of its kind to provide detailed insights into the snail's mucus production process, demonstrates how natural materials can achieve a wide range of functionalities using limited building blocks. Such knowledge could pave the way for developing sustainable, environmentally friendly materials, including adhesives, coatings, and medical applications.
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