Constraints on the adhesion of viscous threads spun by orb-weaving spiders: the tensile strength of glycoprotein glue exceeds its adhesion

Simple item page
dc.contributorVirginia Techen
dc.contributor.authorOpell, B. D.en
dc.contributor.authorSchwend, H. S.en
dc.contributor.authorVito, S. T.en
dc.contributor.departmentBiological Sciencesen
dc.date.accessed2014-02-04en
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-07T18:29:40Zen
dc.date.available2014-02-07T18:29:40Zen
dc.date.issued2011-07en
dc.description.abstractIn this study we tested the hypothesis that a viscous thread releases its hold on a surface because its glycoprotein glue pulls from the surface and not because its elongating droplets break near their attachment to the surface. We compared the values obtained when three species' viscous threads adhered to four smooth surfaces, which differed in their total surface energy and in the proportions of their dispersion and polar energy components. Although water comprised 43-70% of the volume of these viscous droplets, only the dispersion surface energies of test materials and not their polar surface energies impacted thread adhesion. These results support the droplet pull-off hypothesis and are consistent with a previous finding that capillary force contributes little to thread adhesion. Just as a viscous thread's stickiness is constrained by the tensile strength of its supporting axial fibers, our findings suggest that glycoprotein adhesion is constrained by glycoprotein tensile strength.en
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Science Foundation IOB-0445137en
dc.identifier.citationOpell, Brent D.; Schwend, Harold S.; Vito, Stephen T., "Constraints on the adhesion of viscous threads spun by orb-weaving spiders: the tensile strength of glycoprotein glue exceeds its adhesion," J Exp Biol 214, 2237-2241 (2011); doi: 10.1242/_jeb.055707en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.055707en
dc.identifier.issn0022-0949en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/25343en
dc.identifier.urlhttp://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/13/2237.full.pdf+htmlen
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherCompany of Biologists Ltd.en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.holderThe Company of Biologists Ltden
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectAraneioideaen
dc.subjectdispersion surface energyen
dc.subjectLeucauge venustaen
dc.subjectMetepeiraen
dc.subjectlabyrintheaen
dc.subjectMicrathena gracilisen
dc.subjectpolar surface energyen
dc.subjectCAPTURE THREADSen
dc.subjectCORONA DISCHARGEen
dc.subjectSURFACE-ENERGYen
dc.subjectWEBen
dc.subjectWATERen
dc.titleConstraints on the adhesion of viscous threads spun by orb-weaving spiders: the tensile strength of glycoprotein glue exceeds its adhesionen
dc.title.serialJournal of Experimental Biologyen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
J Exp Biol-2011-Opell-2237-41.pdf
Size:
661.27 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Main article
Download

Collections

Scholarly Works, Biological Sciences