Groeger, Christian and Lutz, Katharina and Brunner, Eike (2008) Biomolecular self-assembly and its relevance in silica biomineralization. CELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS, 50 (1). pp. 23-39. ISSN 1085-9195, 1559-0283
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Biomineralization, which means the formation of inorganic materials by biological processes, currently finds increasing research interest. It involves the synthesis of calcium-based minerals such as bones and teeth in vertebrates, and of shells. Silica biomineralization occurs, for example, in diatoms and silica sponges. Usually, biominerals are made up of amorphous compounds or small microcrystalline domains embedded into an amorphous matrix. Nevertheless, they exhibit very regular shapes and, as in the case of diatoms, intricate nanopatterns of amazing beauty. It is, therefore, commonly assumed that biominerals are formed under the structure-directing influence of templates. However, single molecules are by far too small to direct the formation of the observed shapes and patterns. Instead, supramolecular aggregates are shown to be involved in the formation of templating superstructures relevant in biomineralization. Specific biomolecules were identified in both diatoms and silica sponges, which elegantly combine two indispensable functions: on the one hand, the molecules are capable of inducing silica precipitation from precursor compounds. On the other hand, these molecules are capable of self-assembling into larger, structure-directing template aggregates. Such molecules are the silaffins in the case of diatoms and the silicateins in sponges. Long-chain polyamines of similar composition have meanwhile been discovered in both organisms. The present review is especially devoted to the discussion of the self-assembly behavior of these molecules. Physicochemical studies on a model compound, poly(allylamine), are discussed in detail in order to elucidate the nature of the interactions responsible for self-assembly of long-chain polyamines and the parameters controlling this process. Numerous biomimetic silica synthesis experiments are discussed and evaluated with respect to the observations made on the aforementioned "natural" biomolecules.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | DEMOSPONGE SUBERITES-DOMUNCULA; BIOGENIC SILICA; NEUTRAL PH; ACID POLYMERIZATION; MOLECULAR-SIEVES; BIOMIMETIC SYNTHESIS; NANOSPHERE FORMATION; PHASE-SEPARATION; DIATOM BIOSILICA; IN-VITRO; biomolecules; self-assembly; silica biomineralization; silaffins; silicateins; polyamines |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 570 Life sciences |
| Divisions: | Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Biophysik und physikalische Biochemie > Alumni or Retired > Prof. Dr. Eike Brunner |
| Depositing User: | Petra Gürster |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Dec 2020 09:38 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Dec 2020 09:38 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/31570 |
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