Investigation of the Thermostability of Bovine Submaxillary Mucin (BSM) and its Impact on Lubrication

Bovine Submaxillary Mucin (BSM) generates thin film layers via spontaneous adsorption onto hydrophobic surfaces such as Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). A characteristic feature of mucin is its tribological- or lubricating properties. Circular dichroismspectroscopyrevealed that BSM is thermally stable over a wide range of temperatures (5–85°C) in its conformation, and Pin-on-Disk tribometry at low speeds showed negligible influence on lubricating properties. Employing the Mini Traction Machine, BSM was found to retain comparable lubricating properties after heating to 80°C and subsequent cooling. Random coiled secondary- and lack of tertiary structure in BSM is believed to contribute to the heat tolerance observed with regards to its conformational and lubrication properties.