Project Details
Projekt Print View

Biomineralization in siliceous sponges: Isolation, cDNA sequencing, expression and characterization of the SiO2-synthesizing and degrading enzymes

Subject Area Biochemistry
Term from 2003 to 2008
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5406924
 
Final Report Year 2013

Final Report Abstract

Siliceous sponges, the the oldest still extant multicellular animals, have the amazing ability to form highly ordered skeletons of amorphous silica. The synthesis of the structural elements, the spicules is under genetic control. In this project we identified and cloned, from the marine sponge Suberites domuncula, further isoforms of silicatein, the enzyme that forms polymeric silica from monomeric precursors in solution. In addition, we identified the first enzyme, silicase, that is able to degrade amorphous silica, as well as the first silicon transporter, NBCSA cotransporter, from a metazoan (sponge) organism. The function and the mechanism of these enzymes/proteins in biosilicification were studied using different techniques. Moreover, the posttranslational modification of silicatein, as well as the dynamics of the differential expression of the enzymes (silicateins, silicase) and proteins (silicon transporter) involved in biosilica metabolism, was investigated using primmorphs as a model system for studying spiculogenesis. The results obtained in the frame of this project contribute not only to the understanding of the principles of one important mechanism of biomineralization – biosilicification – but also allow the development of new strategies for the application of silica, formed via an enzymatic mechanism, in biomedicine and technique.

Publications

 
 

Additional Information

Textvergrößerung und Kontrastanpassung