AI Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of shell formation in pearl oysters, specifically the processes involved in creating the nacre and prismatic layers of their shells.
- Researchers used advanced sequencing technology to analyze gene expression in the mussel's shell-forming tissues, identifying 29,682 unique sequences and highlighting novel genes potentially involved in shell formation.
- The findings represent a significant advancement in molluscan biomineralization research, providing valuable insights and a comprehensive genetic resource for future studies on shell formation mechanisms.
Article Abstract
Background: Despite its economic importance, we have a limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying shell formation in pearl oysters, wherein the calcium carbonate crystals, nacre and prism, are formed in a highly controlled manner. We constructed comprehensive expressed gene profiles in the shell-forming tissues of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata and identified novel shell formation-related genes candidates.
Principal Findings: We employed the GS FLX 454 system and constructed transcriptome data sets from pallial mantle and pearl sac, which form the nacreous layer, and from the mantle edge, which forms the prismatic layer in P. fucata. We sequenced 260477 reads and obtained 29682 unique sequences. We also screened novel nacreous and prismatic gene candidates by a combined analysis of sequence and expression data sets, and identified various genes encoding lectin, protease, protease inhibitors, lysine-rich matrix protein, and secreting calcium-binding proteins. We also examined the expression of known nacreous and prismatic genes in our EST library and identified novel isoforms with tissue-specific expressions.
Conclusions: We constructed EST data sets from the nacre- and prism-producing tissues in P. fucata and found 29682 unique sequences containing novel gene candidates for nacreous and prismatic layer formation. This is the first report of deep sequencing of ESTs in the shell-forming tissues of P. fucata and our data provide a powerful tool for a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of molluscan biomineralization.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3120837 | PMC |
| http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0021238 | PLOS |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Elastic constants of biogenic calcium carbonate.
J Mech Behav Biomed Mater
July 2024
B CUBE - Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Electronic address:
Living organisms form complex mineralized composite architectures that perform a variety of essential functions. These materials are commonly utilized for load-bearing purposes such as structural stability and mechanical strength in combination with high toughness and deformability, which are well demonstrated in various highly mineralized molluscan shell ultrastructures. Here, the mineral components provide the general stiffness to the composites, and the organic interfaces play a key role in providing these biogenic architectures with mechanical superiority.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdvancing responsible genomic analyses of ancient mollusc shells.
PLoS One
May 2024
Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse, UMR5288, CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
The analysis of the DNA entrapped in ancient shells of molluscs has the potential to shed light on the evolution and ecology of this very diverse phylum. Ancient genomics could help reconstruct the responses of molluscs to past climate change, pollution, and human subsistence practices at unprecedented temporal resolutions. Applications are however still in their infancy, partly due to our limited knowledge of DNA preservation in calcium carbonate shells and the need for optimized methods for responsible genomic data generation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExpression of bone morphogenetic protein 10 and its role in biomineralization in Hyriopsis cumingii.
Int J Biol Macromol
December 2023
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Afairs, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai 201306, China. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on bone morphogenetic protein 10 (BMP10) in the mollusk species Hyriopsis cumingii, which is important for shell and pearl formation.
- Researchers cloned the Hc-BMP10 gene and found that its expression peaked during early embryonic stages and decreased as clams aged, indicating its role in development.
- Silencing Hc-BMP10 led to changes in the shell structure, suggesting it is crucial for proper shell and pearl formation, and the findings could aid in improving breeding practices for H. cumingii.
The regulatory effect of NF-κB signaling pathway on biomineralization and shell regeneration in pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata.
Int J Biol Macromol
December 2023
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province 314006, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Enzymology, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, 705 Yatai Road, Jiaxing 314006, China; Taizhou Innovation Center, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, Zhejiang 318000, China. Electronic address:
Pinctada fucata is an important pearl production shellfish in aquaculture. The formation of shells and pearls is a hot research topic in biomineralization, and matrix proteins secreted by the mantle tissues play the key role in this process. However, upstream regulatory mechanisms of transcription factors on the matrix protein genes remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCalcitic Prisms of The Giant Seashell Pinna Nobilis Form Light Guide Arrays.
Adv Mater
September 2023
Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
The shells of the Pinnidae family are based on a double layer of single-crystal-like calcitic prisms and inner aragonitic nacre, a structure known for its outstanding mechanical performance. However, on the posterior side, shells are missing the nacreous layer, which raises the question of whether there can be any functional role in giving up this mechanical performance. Here, it is demonstrated that the prismatic part of the Pinna nobilis shell exhibits unusual optical properties, whereby each prism acts as an individual optical fiber guiding the ambient light to the inner shell cavity by total internal reflection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!