title: Coral mucus: the properties of its constituent mucins.
abstract: The gel-forming properties of mucus are closely related to its functioning; although there is limited information available relating to coral mucus gels. The present study investigates coral mucus glycoprotein using rheological methods. We demonstrate the presence of a high-molecular-weight polymeric glycoprotein similar to that found in vertebrates, capable of forming a gel. The milked mucus exuded mostly from the oral cavity of corals is not a gel; however, it does show a tendency to form a gel upon concentration. Such results indicate the potential for corals to produce two different kinds of mucus, each potentially capable of performing different functions.
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom. amita.jatkar@gmail.com
authors.forename: Amita A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jatkar
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bythell
authors.forename: Reia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guppy
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Jeffery P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pearson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005782:Gels; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009077:Mucins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009077:Mucins; C047874:gastric mucus glycoproteins