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Squid Eye for the Reflective Guy
gdyas writes "This week's Science details the discovery and characterization of a new class of proteins found only in squids called reflectins that create a soft, mirror-like surface by forming silvery reflective plates. The squid combines the use of these mirror-proteins with a lens and musculature that allow it to focus the light produced by symbiotic bacteria in its eyes in order to search for food. The possibilities for these proteins in nanotechnology and optics are very intriguing."
...is in whatever system the squid use to selectively allow this one species of symbiotic bacteria to infect a specific area of tissue in its eye without compromising the rest of its immune system.
I'm a space nut so bear with me.
I wonder how light and durable these reflective proteins are. One big problem with getting solar sails and space mirrors to work is deploying them. One solution is to build them in place but having a factory in space is just about as troublesome as launching them pre-made and trying to unfold them properly.
If there's a biological way to grow something with the right properties, it may be a better solution.
Like I said, far out idea.
Blaze a trail to the New World
The simplicity of this reflectin protein is astounding.
It can take months to sequence some human proteins, yet the squid uses a mere 6 amino acids to construct his "flashlight".
Is there a single protein in the human body that uses only 5 amino acids? Makes one wonder if a cost of evolution is biochemical inefficiency.