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 | | The composition of the fang-like jaws of Nereis virens could be used in construction and aerospace. |
In their study, Chris C. Broomell and colleagues from California, examined Nereis virens - also known as the sandworm or ragworm - a burrowing marine worm found in shallow waters in the North Atlantic region. The researchers were amazed by the remarkable hardness of its jaws and long pincers, which rivals that of human teeth and exceed the hardness of many synthetic plastics. The team report the first detailed characterisation of the protein composition of the worms’ mandible. They say their work could lead to the design of a new class of super-strong, lightweight materials for use as construction and repair materials for spacecraft, airplanes, and other applications. Broomell and colleagues collected the jaws of 1,000 worms and analysed their protein content. They found that the primary chemical in the jaws and pincers of the worm is a unique protein, named Nereis virens jaw protein-1 (Nvjp-1), which is rich in the amino acid histidine. The researchers also characterised the chemical conditions needed for its formation, such as the presence of zinc, which could allow researchers to create synthetic versions of this super-hard, lightweight material. The work is published in the journal Biomacromolecules. |
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