Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Keren Kahil, Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri, Sharon G. Wolf, Katya Rechav, Steve Weiner, Lia Addadi
Summary: During spicule formation in sea urchin larvae, calcium ions are concentrated and precipitated while other abundant ions are removed. Analytical techniques such as cryo-SEM-EDS and cryo-STEM-EDS are used to study the overall ion composition in vesicles and their potential applicability in studying ion transport pathways.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Christopher F. Thomas, Dakota Y. Hawkins, Viktoriya Skidanova, Simone R. Marrujo, Janay Gibson, Ziqing Ye, Cynthia A. Bradham
Summary: In this study, the researchers found that VGSC activity is essential for normal skeletal patterning in sea urchin larvae. They demonstrated that VGSC inhibition leads to patterning defects, but these defects can be rescued by an anesthetic-insensitive version of VGSC. Furthermore, they discovered that VGSC activity is required to spatially restrict the expression of Wnt5, and the expansion of Wnt5 expression is responsible for the patterning defects induced by VGSC inhibition.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yinghui Ji, Xue Yang, Dong Yang, Rongqing Zhang
Summary: Biomineralization is a widespread biological process involved in the formation of shells, teeth, and bones. The study identified a unique shell matrix protein, PU14, in Pinctada fucata, and demonstrated its function in the prismatic layer during shell formation. Expression in mantle tissue and impact on calcite crystal morphology were observed, providing new insights into matrix protein functions in shell formation.
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emanuel M. Avrahami, Lothar Houben, Lior Aram, Assaf Gal
Summary: This study reveals that complex crystalline morphologies can be achieved by manipulating the growth rate. Using electron tomography, the researchers examined the development of coccolith crystals in three dimensions and found that the crystals express only one set of symmetry-related crystallographic facets, with the positioning of the crystals along specific edges contributing to morphological chirality.
Article
Biology
Przemyslaw Gorzelak, Dorota Kolbuk, Jaroslaw Stolarski, Pawel Bacal, Bartlomiej Januszewicz, Piotr Duda, Dorota Srodek, Tomasz Brachaniec, Mariusz A. Salamon
Summary: Due to their exceptional physical properties, cellular structures have various applications in different disciplines. Although triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) are rarely found in living organisms, a similar microstructure has been discovered in a 385 million-year-old crinoid. This discovery reveals the evolutionary optimization process of echinoderms in forming a lightweight, stiff, and damage-tolerant skeleton, which can inspire the development of biomimetic materials.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuphar Bianco-Stein, Iryna Polishchuk, Arad Lang, Lotan Portal, Catherine Dejoie, Alexander Katsman, Boaz Pokroy
Summary: During biomineralization, organisms use high-Mg nanoparticles embedded in lower-Mg calcite matrices to enhance the mechanical properties of their skeletons. The formation of these nanoparticles is likely achieved through spinodal decomposition of an amorphous Mg-calcite precursor, and it is independent of the biological characteristics of the organisms but rather depends on their chemical composition and specific Mg content. This biostrategy significantly impacts the understanding of fracture resistance in biominerals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zohar Eyal, Leilah Krounbi, Oz Ben Joseph, Emanuel M. Avrahami, Iddo Pinkas, Hadas Peled-Zehavi, Assaf Gal
Summary: Biomineralization processes exhibit varying levels of control over crystallization. Coccoliths, calcified scales formed by unicellular algae, are a model for highly controlled crystallization. This study explores the relationship between base plate and coccolith properties and reveals that the combination of base plate and the chemical environment inside the cell plays a pivotal role in the exquisite control over the crystallization process.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. I. Bertucci, A. Juez, J. Bellas
Summary: The combined effects of ocean acidification and microplastic pollution on the early development of Paracentrotus lividus were studied. The results showed that both ocean acidification and microplastics can alter the growth and morphology of the embryo, with observed differences in morphology related to decreased width of larvae. The changes in larvae shape could affect their buoyancy and ability to obtain and ingest food.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shiping Wei, Mingxue Sun
Summary: It was found that the fungus Trichoderma asperellum BDH65 can transform calcite into an organic mineral earlandite, forming irregularly granular accumulations of micro globular particles. The mineral phase of the fungal catalyzed crystals is identified as earlandite, which is chemically identical to calcium citrate tetrahydrate. The structure and properties of the fungal formed crystals show similarities with those observed for chemically synthesized calcium citrate tetrahydrate, providing insights into bioweathering of minerals and rocks driven by fungi.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ahmet Kertmen, Iaroslav Petrenko, Christian Schimpf, David Rafaja, Olga Petrova, Viktor Sivkov, Sergey Nekipelov, Andriy Fursov, Allison L. Stelling, Korbinian Heimler, Anika Rogoll, Carla Vogt, Hermann Ehrlich
Summary: This study elucidated the nanostructural organization of skeletal microfibers of the marine demosponge Ianthella basta and showed for the first time the presence of a calcitic mineral phase in verongiid sponges. Experimental data suggest a possible role for chitin as a template for calcification. The discovery is expected to broaden knowledge in biomineralization science and the potential applications of calcium carbonate in various fields.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Merinda C. Nash, Walter Adey, Adela S. Harvey
Summary: The study on mineral composition of Amphiroa species revealed high levels of VHMC and dolomite, which may provide competitive advantage in acidified seawater. Further research is needed to understand the metabolic controls on VHMC/dolomite mineral formation.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Oliver Voigt, Benedetta Fradusco, Carolin Gut, Charalampos Kevrekidis, Sergio Vargas, Gert Woerheide
Summary: This study investigates the carbonic anhydrase (CA) gene repertoire of different species of calcareous sponges using transcriptomic analysis, phylogenetics, and in situ hybridization. It reveals that the last common ancestor of Calcarea had four ancestral CAs with defined subcellular localizations and functions. The evolution of membrane-bound and secreted CAs involved gene duplications and losses, whereas mitochondrial/cytosolic and non-catalytic CAs are orthologous genes.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Olev Vinn
Summary: Polychaete annelids are an important group of calcifiers in modern oceans, able to produce various forms of calcium compounds. They exhibit diversity in tube ultrastructures and tube compositions, with some taxa belonging to calcitic clades and others to aragonitic clades. These organisms are affected by modern ocean acidification but can still biomineralize in extreme environments.
Review
Ecology
Nicola Conci, Sergio Vargas, Gert Woerheide
Summary: Octocorallia is a group of calcifying corals with diverse mineral skeletons, including aragonite and calcite; despite being overlooked, these corals are important for biomineralization studies; research on the mineralization strategies of octocorals is currently focused on a small set of species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marta de Frutos, Alejandro B. Rodriguez-Navarro, Xiaoyan Li, Antonio G. Checa
Summary: The majority of calcium carbonate biocrystals have a nanoroughness consisting of crystalline lumps surrounded by amorphous pellicles. Using STEM-EELS, the calcite secreted by a barnacle was mapped with ultrahigh resolution. The material is composed of irregular calcite lumps surrounded by cortexes of amorphous calcium carbonate and/or nanocalcite plus biomolecules. The separation of the crystalline and amorphous phases takes place during calcite crystallization from a precursor ACC, which differs from the previously established conception of biomineral structure and growth.
Article
Developmental Biology
Sanjana Srinivasan, Xinjian He, Sarah Mirza, Jesse Mager
Summary: Exosome Complex Components 1 and 2 (EXOSC1 and 2) are essential proteins in the RNA Exosome complex that play important roles in early mammalian development. Their absence results in developmental delay and morphological abnormalities in embryos.
GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS
(2024)