Eventually he discovered that by focusing on one specific sequence of amino acids that is then made over and over, the adhesive protein could be built up to 100,000 daltons. The result, he says, is a tough, flexible glue. In response to Waite's charge that more basic work is needed to reach the full commercial potential of the mussel glue, officials at both companies stress that they comprehend the science well enough to do applications-oriented research. But we don't think it's necessary for our products. On one hand, Marron understands the short-term approach.
Biotechnology companies are interested in the product.
But both Marron and Waite have problems with that kind of industry thinking. By continuing to study the mussel, the companies can devise more rational strategies for product development. It might be possible to develop anticorrosives and compounds that bind with heavy metals in water. Waite says that each of the hundreds of different species of mussels produces a different kind of adhesive depending on its environment. And each one, he notes, has developed a different kind of glue with a slightly varying molecular structure.