Adsorption of chemically synthesized mussel adhesive peptide sequences containing DOPA on stainless steel.

The adsorption of proteins at solid-liquid interfaces is important in biosensor and biomaterial applications. Marine mussels affix themselves to surfaces using a highly cross-linked, protein-based adhesive containing a high proportion of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) residues. In this work, the effect of DOPA residues on protein adhesion on stainless steel surfaces was studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation system.