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Khor JM, Guerrero-Santoro J, Ettensohn CA. Molecular compartmentalization in a syncytium: restricted mobility of proteins within the sea urchin skeletogenic mesenchyme. Development 2023; 150:dev201804. [PMID: 37902109 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Multinucleated cells, or syncytia, are found in diverse taxa. Their biological function is often associated with the compartmentalization of biochemical or cellular activities within the syncytium. How such compartments are generated and maintained is poorly understood. The sea urchin embryonic skeleton is secreted by a syncytium, and local patterns of skeletal growth are associated with distinct sub-domains of gene expression within the syncytium. For such molecular compartments to be maintained and to control local patterns of skeletal growth: (1) the mobility of TFs must be restricted to produce stable differences in the transcriptional states of nuclei within the syncytium; and (2) the mobility of biomineralization proteins must also be restricted to produce regional differences in skeletal growth. To test these predictions, we expressed fluorescently tagged forms of transcription factors and biomineralization proteins in sub-domains of the skeletogenic syncytium. We found that both classes of proteins have restricted mobility within the syncytium and identified motifs that limit their mobility. Our findings have general implications for understanding the functional and molecular compartmentalization of syncytia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ming Khor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, USA
| | - Jennifer Guerrero-Santoro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, USA
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2
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Martino C, Chianese T, Chiarelli R, Roccheri MC, Scudiero R. Toxicological Impact of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) on the Reproduction and Development of Aquatic Organisms Using Sea Urchins as Biological Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052876. [PMID: 35270017 PMCID: PMC8911218 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing presence of lanthanides in the environment has drawn the attention of the scientific community on their safety and toxicity. The sources of lanthanides in the environment include diagnostic medicine, electronic devices, permanent magnets, etc. Their exponential use and the poor management of waste disposal raise serious concerns about the quality and safety of the ecosystems at a global level. This review focused on the impact of lanthanides in marine organisms on reproductive fitness, fertilization and embryonic development, using the sea urchin as a biological model system. Scientific evidence shows that exposure to lanthanides triggers a wide variety of toxic insults, including reproductive performance, fertilization, redox metabolism, embryogenesis, and regulation of embryonic gene expression. This was thoroughly demonstrated for gadolinium, the most widely used lanthanide in diagnostic medicine, whose uptake in sea urchin embryos occurs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, correlates with decreased calcium absorption and primarily affects skeletal growth, with incorrect regulation of the skeletal gene regulatory network. The results collected on sea urchin embryos demonstrate a variable sensitivity of the early life stages of different species, highlighting the importance of testing the effects of pollution in different species. The accumulation of lanthanides and their emerging negative effects make risk assessment and consequent legislative intervention on their disposal mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Martino
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (M.C.R.)
| | - Teresa Chianese
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Roberto Chiarelli
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (M.C.R.)
| | - Maria Carmela Roccheri
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (M.C.R.)
| | - Rosaria Scudiero
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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Habelitz S, Bai Y. Mechanisms of Enamel Mineralization Guided by Amelogenin Nanoribbons. J Dent Res 2021; 100:1434-1443. [PMID: 34009057 DOI: 10.1177/00220345211012925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The nanofibrous nature and its intricate structural organization are the basis for the extraordinary ability of sound enamel to outlive masticatory forces at minimal failure rates. Apatite nanofibers of several hundreds of micrometers to possibly millimeters in length originate during the secretory stage of amelogenesis as 2-nm-thin and 15-nm-wide ribbons that develop and grow in length under the guidance of a dynamic mixture of specialized proteins, the developing enamel matrix (DEM). A critical role in the unidirectional and oriented growth of enamel mineral ribbons has been attributed to amelogenin, the major constituent of the DEM. This review elaborates on recent studies on the ability of ribbon-like assemblies of amelogenin to template the formation of an amorphous calcium phosphate precursor that transforms into apatite mineral ribbons similar to the ones observed in developing enamel. A mechanistic model of the biological processes that drive biomineralization in enamel is presented in the context of a comparative analysis of enamel mouse models and earlier structural data of the DEM emphasizing a regulatory role of the matrix metalloproteinase 20 in mineral deposition and the involvement of a process-directing agent for the templated mineral growth directed by amelogenin nanoribbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Habelitz
- Department of Preventative and Restorative Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Y Bai
- Department of Preventative and Restorative Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Sampilo NF, Stepicheva NA, Song JL. microRNA-31 regulates skeletogenesis by direct suppression of Eve and Wnt1. Dev Biol 2021; 472:98-114. [PMID: 33484703 PMCID: PMC7956219 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in a variety of biological processes, including embryogenesis and the physiological functions of cells. Evolutionarily conserved microRNA-31 (miR-31) has been found to be involved in cancer, bone formation, and lymphatic development. We previously discovered that, in the sea urchin, miR-31 knockdown (KD) embryos have shortened dorsoventral connecting rods, mispatterned skeletogenic primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) and shifted and expanded Vegf3 expression domain. Vegf3 itself does not contain miR-31 binding sites; however, we identified its upstream regulators Eve and Wnt1 to be directly suppressed by miR-31. Removal of miR-31's suppression of Eve and Wnt1 resulted in skeletal and PMC patterning defects, similar to miR-31 KD phenotypes. Additionally, removal of miR-31's suppression of Eve and Wnt1 results in an expansion and anterior shift in expression of Veg1 ectodermal genes, including Vegf3 in the blastulae. This indicates that miR-31 indirectly regulates Vegf3 expression through directly suppressing Eve and Wnt1. Furthermore, removing miR-31 suppression of Eve is sufficient to cause skeletogenic defects, revealing a novel regulatory role of Eve in skeletogenesis and PMC patterning. Overall, this study provides a proposed molecular mechanism of miR-31's regulation of skeletogenesis and PMC patterning through its cross-regulation of a Wnt signaling ligand and a transcription factor of the endodermal and ectodermal gene regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Faye Sampilo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Nadezda A Stepicheva
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Jia L Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
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5
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Khor JM, Ettensohn CA. Transcription Factors of the Alx Family: Evolutionarily Conserved Regulators of Deuterostome Skeletogenesis. Front Genet 2020; 11:569314. [PMID: 33329706 PMCID: PMC7719703 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.569314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the alx gene family encode transcription factors that contain a highly conserved Paired-class, DNA-binding homeodomain, and a C-terminal OAR/Aristaless domain. Phylogenetic and comparative genomic studies have revealed complex patterns of alx gene duplications during deuterostome evolution. Remarkably, alx genes have been implicated in skeletogenesis in both echinoderms and vertebrates. In this review, we provide an overview of current knowledge concerning alx genes in deuterostomes. We highlight their evolutionarily conserved role in skeletogenesis and draw parallels and distinctions between the skeletogenic gene regulatory circuitries of diverse groups within the superphylum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ming Khor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Laipnik R, Bissi V, Sun CY, Falini G, Gilbert PUPA, Mass T. Coral acid rich protein selects vaterite polymorph in vitro. J Struct Biol 2019; 209:107431. [PMID: 31811894 PMCID: PMC7058422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.107431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Corals and other biomineralizing organisms use proteins and other molecules to form different crystalline polymorphs and biomineral structures. In corals, it’s been suggested that proteins such as Coral Acid Rich Proteins (CARPs) play a major role in the polymorph selection of their calcium carbonate (CaCO3) aragonite exoskeleton. To date, four CARPs (1–4) have been characterized: each with a different amino acid composition and different temporal and spatial expression patterns during coral developmental stages. Interestingly, CARP3 is able to alter crystallization pathways in vitro, yet its function in this process remains enigmatic. To better understand the CARP3 function, we performed two independent in vitro CaCO3 polymorph selection experiments using purified recombinant CARP3 at different concentrations and at low or zero Mg2+ concentration. Our results show that, in the absence of Mg2+, CARP3 selects for the vaterite polymorph and inhibits calcite. However, in the presence of a low concentration of Mg2+ and CARP3 both Mg-calcite and vaterite are formed, with the relative amount of Mg-calcite increasing with CARP3 concentration. In all conditions, CARP3 did not select for the aragonite polymorph, which is the polymorph associated to CARP3 in vivo, even in the presence of Mg2+ (Mg:Ca molar ratio equal to 1). These results further emphasize the importance of Mg:Ca molar ratios similar to that in seawater (Mg:Ca equal to 5) and the activity of the biological system in a aragonite polymorph selection in coral skeleton formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ra'anan Laipnik
- Marine Biology Department, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Veronica Bissi
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Giacomo Ciamician", Università di Bologna, Italy
| | - Chang-Yu Sun
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Giuseppe Falini
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Giacomo Ciamician", Università di Bologna, Italy
| | - Pupa U P A Gilbert
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Tali Mass
- Marine Biology Department, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel.
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Shashikant T, Khor JM, Ettensohn CA. From genome to anatomy: The architecture and evolution of the skeletogenic gene regulatory network of sea urchins and other echinoderms. Genesis 2018; 56:e23253. [PMID: 30264451 PMCID: PMC6294693 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The skeletogenic gene regulatory network (GRN) of sea urchins and other echinoderms is one of the most intensively studied transcriptional networks in any developing organism. As such, it serves as a preeminent model of GRN architecture and evolution. This review summarizes our current understanding of this developmental network. We describe in detail the most comprehensive model of the skeletogenic GRN, one developed for the euechinoid sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, including its initial deployment by maternal inputs, its elaboration and stabilization through regulatory gene interactions, and its control of downstream effector genes that directly drive skeletal morphogenesis. We highlight recent comparative studies that have leveraged the euechinoid GRN model to examine the evolution of skeletogenic programs in diverse echinoderms, studies that have revealed both conserved and divergent features of skeletogenesis within the phylum. Last, we summarize the major insights that have emerged from analysis of the structure and evolution of the echinoderm skeletogenic GRN and identify key, unresolved questions as a guide for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Shashikant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jian Ming Khor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Cao L, Li X, Zhou X, Li Y, Vecchio KS, Yang L, Cui W, Yang R, Zhu Y, Guo Z, Zhang X. Lightweight Open-Cell Scaffolds from Sea Urchin Spines with Superior Material Properties for Bone Defect Repair. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:9862-9870. [PMID: 28252933 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b01645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Sea urchin spines (Heterocentrotus mammillatus), with a hierarchical open-cell structure similar to that of human trabecular bone and superior mechanical property (compressive strength ∼43.4 MPa) suitable for machining to shape, were explored for potential applications of bone defect repair. Finite element analyses reveal that the compressive stress concentrates along the dense growth rings and dissipates through strut structures of the stereoms, indicating that the exquisite mesostructures play an important role in high strength-to-weight ratios. The fracture strength of magnesium-substituted tricalcium phosphate (β-TCMP) scaffolds produced by hydrothermal conversion of urchin spines is about 9.3 MPa, comparable to that of human trabecular bone. New bone forms along outer surfaces of β-TCMP scaffolds after implantation in rabbit femoral defects for one month and grows into the majority of the inner open-cell spaces postoperation in three months, showing tight interface between the scaffold and regenerative bone tissue. Fusion of beagle lumbar facet joints using a Ti-6Al-4V cage and β-TCMP scaffold can be completed within seven months with obvious biodegradation of the β-TCMP scaffold, which is nearly completely degraded and replaced by newly formed bone ten months after implantation. Thus, sea urchin spines suitable for machining to shape have advantages for production of biodegradable artificial grafts for bone defect repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cao
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University , Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Xiaoshu Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University , Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Kenneth S Vecchio
- NanoEngineering Department, University of California, San Diego , La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Lina Yang
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
- School of Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, China
| | - Zheng Guo
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University , Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
- School of Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
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9
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Organic matrices in metazoan calcium carbonate skeletons: Composition, functions, evolution. J Struct Biol 2016; 196:98-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Karakostis K, Costa C, Zito F, Brümmer F, Matranga V. Characterization of an Alpha Type Carbonic Anhydrase from Paracentrotus lividus Sea Urchin Embryos. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 18:384-395. [PMID: 27230618 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-016-9701-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Carbonic anhydrases (CA) are zinc metalloenzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate. In the sea urchin, CA has a role in the formation of the calcitic skeleton during embryo development. Here, we report a newly identified mRNA sequence from embryos of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, referred to as Pl-can. The complete coding sequence was identified with the aid of both EST databases and experimental procedures. Pl-CAN is a 447 aa-long protein, with an estimated molecular mass of 48.5 kDa and an isoelectric point of 6.83. The in silico study of functional domains showed, in addition to the alpha type CA-specific domain, the presence of an unexpected glycine-rich region at the N-terminal of the molecule. This is not found in any other species described so far, but probably it is restricted to the sea urchins. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Pl-CAN is evolutionarily closer to human among chordates than to other species. The putative role(s) of the identified domains is discussed. The Pl-can temporal and spatial expression profiles, analyzed throughout embryo development by comparative qPCR and whole-mount in situ hybridization (WMISH), showed that Pl-can mRNA is specifically expressed in the primary mesenchyme cells (PMC) of the embryo and levels increase along with the growth of the embryonic skeleton, reaching a peak at the pluteus stage. A recombinant fusion protein was produced in E. coli and used to raise specific antibodies in mice recognized the endogenous Pl-CAN by Western blot in embryo extracts from gastrula and pluteus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Karakostis
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "A. Monroy", National Research Council, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153-90146, Palermo, Italy
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- INSERM - UMR 1162, Institute de Génétique Moléculaire, Hôpital St. Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, 75010, Paris, France
| | - Caterina Costa
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "A. Monroy", National Research Council, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153-90146, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Francesca Zito
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "A. Monroy", National Research Council, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153-90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Franz Brümmer
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Valeria Matranga
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "A. Monroy", National Research Council, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153-90146, Palermo, Italy
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Kanold JM, Immel F, Broussard C, Guichard N, Plasseraud L, Corneillat M, Alcaraz G, Brümmer F, Marin F. The test skeletal matrix of the black sea urchin Arbacia lixula. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2015; 13:24-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 12/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Echinoderms: Hierarchically Organized Light Weight Skeletons. BIOLOGICALLY-INSPIRED SYSTEMS 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-9398-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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13
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Long X, Ma Y, Qi L. Biogenic and synthetic high magnesium calcite - a review. J Struct Biol 2013; 185:1-14. [PMID: 24291472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2013.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Systematic studies on the Mg distributions, the crystal orientations, the formation mechanisms and the mechanical properties of biogenic high-Mg calcites in different marine organisms were summarized in detail in this review. The high-Mg calcites in the hard tissues of marine organisms mentioned generally own a few common features as follows. Firstly, the Mg distribution is not uniform in most of the minerals. Secondly, high-Mg calcite biominerals are usually composed of nanoparticles that own almost the same crystallographic orientations and thus they behave like single crystals or mesocrystals. Thirdly, the formation of thermodynamically unstable high-Mg calcites in marine organisms under mild conditions is affected by three key factors, that is, the formation of amorphous calcium (magnesium) carbonate precursor, the control of polymorph via biomolecules and the high Mg/Ca ratios in modern sea. Lastly, the existence of Mg ions in the Mg-containing calcite may improve the mechanical properties of biogenic minerals. Furthermore, the key progress in the synthesis of high-Mg calcites in the laboratory based on the formation mechanisms of the biogenic high-Mg calcites was reviewed. Many researchers have realized the synthesis of high-Mg calcites in the laboratory under ambient conditions with the help of intermediate amorphous phase, mixed solvents, organic/inorganic surfaces and soluble additives. Studies on the structural analysis and formation mechanisms of thermodynamically unstable biogenic high-Mg calcite minerals may shed light on the preparation of functional materials with enhanced mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Long
- Beijing National laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
| | - Yurong Ma
- Beijing National laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Limin Qi
- Beijing National laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
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14
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Ramos-Silva P, Kaandorp J, Huisman L, Marie B, Zanella-Cléon I, Guichard N, Miller DJ, Marin F. The skeletal proteome of the coral Acropora millepora: the evolution of calcification by co-option and domain shuffling. Mol Biol Evol 2013; 30:2099-112. [PMID: 23765379 PMCID: PMC3748352 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mst109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In corals, biocalcification is a major function that may be drastically affected by ocean acidification (OA). Scleractinian corals grow by building up aragonitic exoskeletons that provide support and protection for soft tissues. Although this process has been extensively studied, the molecular basis of biocalcification is poorly understood. Notably lacking is a comprehensive catalog of the skeleton-occluded proteins—the skeletal organic matrix proteins (SOMPs) that are thought to regulate the mineral deposition. Using a combination of proteomics and transcriptomics, we report the first survey of such proteins in the staghorn coral Acropora millepora. The organic matrix (OM) extracted from the coral skeleton was analyzed by mass spectrometry and bioinformatics, enabling the identification of 36 SOMPs. These results provide novel insights into the molecular basis of coral calcification and the macroevolution of metazoan calcifying systems, whereas establishing a platform for studying the impact of OA at molecular level. Besides secreted proteins, extracellular regions of transmembrane proteins are also present, suggesting a close control of aragonite deposition by the calicoblastic epithelium. In addition to the expected SOMPs (Asp/Glu-rich, galaxins), the skeletal repertoire included several proteins containing known extracellular matrix domains. From an evolutionary perspective, the number of coral-specific proteins is low, many SOMPs having counterparts in the noncalcifying cnidarians. Extending the comparison with the skeletal OM proteomes of other metazoans allowed the identification of a pool of functional domains shared between phyla. These data suggest that co-option and domain shuffling may be general mechanisms by which the trait of calcification has evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Ramos-Silva
- UMR 6282 CNRS, Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
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15
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Manno D, Carata E, Tenuzzo BA, Panzarini E, Buccolieri A, Filippo E, Rossi M, Serra A, Dini L. High ordered biomineralization induced by carbon nanoparticles in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2012; 23:495104. [PMID: 23165288 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/23/49/495104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A surprising and unexpected biomineralization process was observed during toxicological assessment of carbon nanoparticles on Paracentrotus lividus (sea urchin) pluteus larvae. The larvae activate a process of defense against external material, by incorporating the nanoparticles into microstructures of aragonite similarly to pearl oysters. Aiming at a better understanding of this phenomenon, the larvae were exposed to increasing concentrations of carbon nanoparticles and the biomineralization products were analyzed by electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. In order to evaluate the possible influence of Sp-CyP-1 expression on this biomineralization process by larvae, analyses of gene expression (Sp-CyP-1) and calcein labeling were performed. Overall, we report experimental evidence about the capability of carbon nanoparticles to induce an increment of Sp-CyP-1 expression with the consequent activation of a biomineralization process leading to the production of a new pearl-like biomaterial never previously observed in sea urchins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Manno
- Interdepartmental Laboratory of Physics Applied to Materials Science, Italy.
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