Bloodworms have copper jaws that could inspire self-building materials

By Christa Lest.

Bloodworms can burrow several metres into the mud of the ocean floor. They have venom-injecting jaws that contain a high level of copper, and now we know that a simpleProtein is responsible for these impressive fangs, which could inspire new ways of building materials.

The University of California, Santa Barbara, and their colleagues have been studying the jaws of a bloodworm, which are made up of 10 per cent copper and last for the worm's entire five-year lifespan.

You have a little worm that makes a jaw that is as hard and stiff as bronze, and some ceramics as well, and they are doing this autonomically.

The team used advanced analysis techniques and modelling to understand how the worms work.

The group discovered that the multistep process starts with binding copper to the environment, then mixing the copper with a solution to separate it, and then catalysing the conversion of an available amino acid into melanin.

It seems that the bloodworm's jaws are more resistant to wear than other animals.

He says that they form a kind of rubber-filled reinforced tires, or fiberglass, and they involve less machinery than the industry does.

The simple structure of theProtein is surprising because it is more complex than just catalyse.

He says that the findings could lead to improvements in the design and manufacturing of materials like concrete and rubber-filled tires.

The journal referred to is Matter.

Wild Wild Life is a monthly newsletter that celebrates the diversity and science of animals, plants and Earth.