Sea Cucumbers' Sticky Butt Defense Mechanism and Genome Unveiled
Sea cucumbers have a unique defense mechanism where they expel their Cuvierian organ, a tangle of sticky tubules, from their butt to entangle and neutralize predators. The organ is composed of proteins similar to spider silk and can expand up to 20 times its original length upon contact with any surface. The sea cucumber can self-amputate the organ and regrow it in as little as 15 days. The organ's outer membrane also contains amyloid-like patterns, which may act as a strong adhesive.