Preface
Living beings, in particular aquatic organisms are capable of synthesizing a high
diversity of biominerals, ranging from silica, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate
to metallic, e.g. iron oxide, biominerals. Some of these biominerals, e.g. calcium
carbonate, can be present in various phases, regulated by certain organic macromolecules, and they are found both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. This
book of the series Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology gives a survey on
the most recent developments in the field of Molecular Biomineralization highlighting the importance and the mechanisms of this process occurring at the
interface between the inorganic and the organic world.
Part I on Metallic Biominerals describes the surprising ability of certain bacteria
(magnetotactic bacteria) to biomineralize magnetic crystals in their “magnetosomes”, the synthesis of ferric oxide biominerals in protein (ferritin) nanocages,
the oxidation of manganese by bacteria, as well as the contribution of microorganisms to the biogenic formation of mineral deposits in manganese nodules and
seamount crusts. Part II on Biocalcium illustrates the molecular mechanisms of
formation of calcium-based biominerals, including the calcium carbonate precipitation by bacteria and the formation of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate
biominerals in a variety of aquatic (invertebrate and vertebrate) organisms. Special
emphasis is on the role of organic matrix proteins in the biomineralization of the
Echinoderm calcite endoskeleton and the role of skeletogenic genes in the regulation of biocalcification in sea urchin. The main focus of Part III on Biosilica is on
the unique enzyme, silicatein, which forms the biosilica skeleton of the siliceous
sponges (demosponges and hexactinellids). The extraordinary properties of this
biomaterial, an inorganic-organic nanocomposite with the capability of “bio-sintering”, but also its bioactivity, in particular its ability to stimulate bone hydroxyapatite formation and to modulate the expression of certain cytokines involved in
pathogenesis of osteoporosis have attracted increasing interest in its possible
application in nanotechnology and nanobiomedicine. Part IV on Nacre will attract
the attention of the reader on the intriguing function of matrix proteins in the
calcification and decalcification of the hard cuticle in Crustaceans. The most recent
v
Living beings, in particular aquatic organisms are capable of synthesizing a high
diversity of biominerals, ranging from silica, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate
to metallic, e.g. iron oxide, biominerals. Some of these biominerals, e.g. calcium
carbonate, can be present in various phases, regulated by certain organic macromolecules, and they are found both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. This
book of the series Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology gives a survey on
the most recent developments in the field of Molecular Biomineralization highlighting the importance and the mechanisms of this process occurring at the
interface between the inorganic and the organic world.
Part I on Metallic Biominerals describes the surprising ability of certain bacteria
(magnetotactic bacteria) to biomineralize magnetic crystals in their “magnetosomes”, the synthesis of ferric oxide biominerals in protein (ferritin) nanocages,
the oxidation of manganese by bacteria, as well as the contribution of microorganisms to the biogenic formation of mineral deposits in manganese nodules and
seamount crusts. Part II on Biocalcium illustrates the molecular mechanisms of
formation of calcium-based biominerals, including the calcium carbonate precipitation by bacteria and the formation of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate
biominerals in a variety of aquatic (invertebrate and vertebrate) organisms. Special
emphasis is on the role of organic matrix proteins in the biomineralization of the
Echinoderm calcite endoskeleton and the role of skeletogenic genes in the regulation of biocalcification in sea urchin. The main focus of Part III on Biosilica is on
the unique enzyme, silicatein, which forms the biosilica skeleton of the siliceous
sponges (demosponges and hexactinellids). The extraordinary properties of this
biomaterial, an inorganic-organic nanocomposite with the capability of “bio-sintering”, but also its bioactivity, in particular its ability to stimulate bone hydroxyapatite formation and to modulate the expression of certain cytokines involved in
pathogenesis of osteoporosis have attracted increasing interest in its possible
application in nanotechnology and nanobiomedicine. Part IV on Nacre will attract
the attention of the reader on the intriguing function of matrix proteins in the
calcification and decalcification of the hard cuticle in Crustaceans. The most recent
v