Modified Mussel Proteins, Uses Thereof and Related Compounds

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This invention describes engineered mussel proteins that contain chemically protected Dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) residues, such as ortho-nitrobenzyl-Dopa, which can be activated by light (UV irradiation) to restore their adhesive properties. These modified proteins are produced using genetic and biochemical methods, enabling the spatiotemporal (time- and location-specific) activation of strong, biocompatible adhesion inspired by natural mussel glue. The technology also covers the genetic constructs and synthetic machinery (aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, tRNA) for incorporating these modified amino acids into proteins.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Biodegradable surgical adhesives for replacing pins and nails in bone fracture repair
• Medical wound closure and wound healing enhancement with infection prevention when fused with antimicrobial peptides
• Coating medical implants or devices to promote tissue adhesion and/or provide antimicrobial coatings
• Functionally coating various surfaces in vitro for biomedical, biosensor, or industrial purposes, allowing controlled activation of adhesion
• Research tools for studying bioadhesion and developing new biomaterials with tunable adhesive properties

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables highly controllable, strong, and biocompatible adhesion similar to natural mussel glue, but with activation on-demand (e.g., with UV light)
• Superior to conventional medical adhesives in terms of strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability
• Minimizes undesired oxidation and preserves protein stability prior to activation
• Versatile platform: proteins can be customized and functionalized with other bioactive entities, such as antimicrobial peptides
• Reduces reliance on non-absorbable or toxic glues (e.g., cyanoacrylates), supporting safer clinical applications

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to modified mussel proteins, to uses thereof, to nucleotide sequences encoding the modified mussel proteins, to an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase suited for producing the modified mussel proteins, and to a novel use of an 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine derivative comprising a protecting group on at least one hydroxyl residue of its catechol moiety, in particular of ortho-nitrobenzyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, that was applied for producing the modified mussel proteins.