Probing Molecular Interactions between Barnacle Peptides and Polymers In Situ to Understand Bioadhesion

Abstract

Biofouling poses a significant issue in the maritime industry, where the attachment of biofoulants to ships greatly affects operational costs, surface durability, and marine pollution. Barnacles and barnacle proteins are widely used as models to study the biofouling mechanisms. With a combined in situ experimental and simulation approach, this study elucidated the molecular interaction mechanisms between barnacle cement-derived peptides (BCPs) and a polymer. The results showed that the peptide-charged segment plays a significant role in interfacial interactions, facilitating the formation of antiparallel β-sheets within the simple domain. This study reports the first in situ, real-time observation of β-sheet formation in adsorbed BCPs at the buried solution–polymer interface, which will prove to be essential for understanding overall BCP aggregation and barnacle fouling mechanisms.