贝壳的有机质及生物矿化机制分析

以腹足纲贝壳香螺壳为研究对象,用弱酸去钙法进行蛋白提取,采用280纳米(A280)光吸收法测定蛋白含量,并通过聚丙烯酰胺(SDS-PAGE)凝胶电泳法对蛋白按照分子量大小的区别进行分离.实验结果表明香螺壳中蛋白含量和种类较少,其文石层比方解石层蛋白含量高的多,总量分别为0.89%和0.0533%;文石层分离出五种分子量的可溶性蛋白和四种分子量的不可溶性蛋白;而方解石层中分离出三种分子量的可溶性蛋白和三种分子量的不可溶性蛋白,且分子量不相同.正是这少量的蛋白质对贝壳的生物矿化过程和不同晶型的形成起着决定性作用.     

合浦珠母贝PU3基因的克隆及功能鉴定

目的:克隆获得合浦珠母贝PU3基因的序列,并研究其在生物矿化中的功能。方法:使用RACE获得PU3基因的全长;利用实时荧光定量PCR的方法检测PU3基因在不同组织中的表达分布;利用实时荧光定量PCR的方法检测贝壳损伤修复过程中PU3基因的表达量的变化;通过RNAi实验,抑制PU3基因的表达,之后用扫描电子显微镜观察合浦珠母贝贝壳表面的变化。结果:合浦珠母贝PU3基因的cDNA全长为2361bp,编码618个氨基酸。氨基酸序列的功能结构域分析表明其含有4个FN3结构域。该基因在外套膜中高表达,且在外套膜边缘区的表达量高于外套膜中心区。在贝壳损伤修复的过程中,该基因的表达水平呈现上升的趋势。利用RNAi技术抑制PU3基因的表达后,贝壳的棱柱层结构发生了变化,缝隙变宽,且出现空洞。结论:PU3基因所表达的蛋白作为正调控因子参与生物矿化的过程,并主要作用于贝壳的棱柱层,抑制其表达会影响棱柱层的框架结构。     

壳损伤及海水酸化对厚壳贻贝脲酶和碳酸酐酶的影响

海洋酸化是当前全球面临的最为紧迫的环境问题之一，已显现出对具生物矿化现象物种的严重影响。以往研究发现，贻贝表现出对海洋酸化较强的耐受性。为探究贻贝对海洋酸化耐受性的可能机制，选择两种对生物矿化具有重要影响的酶(碳酸酐酶和脲酶)为研究对象，分析其在壳损伤以及酸化海水条件下基因表达量和酶活力的变化；进一步对上述条件下的贻贝贝壳内表面开展了显微观察。研究结果表明，相比对照组，壳损伤或酸化海水处理诱导碳酸酐酶和脲酶的基因表达量产生不同程度的上调(P<0.05),酶活力测试与基因表达量分析结果具有类似特征，但存在时序性差异。而壳损伤叠加海水酸化处理则诱导碳酸酐酶和脲酶的基因表达量及酶活性在外套膜中均明显下调(P<0.05),但碳酸酐酶在血细胞中明显上调(P<0.05);在酸化海水中添加尿素则明显上调血细胞和外套膜中碳酸酐酶和脲酶的基因表达量以及酶活性(P<0.05)。贝壳内表面显微观察结果进一步表明，海水酸化及壳损伤导致损伤部位附近的贝壳内表面产生明显纹理质地改变，尿素可诱导海水酸化条件下壳损伤部位修复层的重新出现。上述结果表明，碳酸酐酶和脲酶可能参与了对壳损伤修复及海洋...     

厚壳贻贝一种新型贝壳胶原蛋白的重组表达与功能分析

贝壳是一种具有优异力学性能的生物硬组织,贝壳基质蛋白质对贝壳的形成具有重要意义。厚壳贻贝(Mytilus coruscus)贝壳中发现一种类似胶原蛋白质的新型贝壳基质蛋白质,命名为collagen-like protein 2（CLP-2）。然而,该蛋白质的结构与功能以及对贝壳形成的影响机制尚不清楚。为此,本研究对CLP 2开展了序列分析;进一步采取密码子优化结合原核重组表达策略,开展了CLP-2的重组表达;在此基础上分析了重组CLP-2对酸钙结晶的诱导、结晶速率抑制以及碳酸钙结合能力。对CLP-2的序列分析结果表明,该蛋白质序列中含有信号肽及两个Von Willebrand factor A（VWA）结构域。CLP-2在数据库中尚无高同源性蛋白质存在,表明这是一种较为新颖的贝壳基质蛋白。所获得的重组CLP-2对碳酸钙体外结晶表现出明显的诱导作用,扫描电镜以及傅里叶红外光谱结果表明,重组CLP-2可诱导碳酸钙晶体的形貌由立方体形转化为球形,并在高浓度下进一步转化为哑铃形;同时,重组CLP-2可促使碳酸钙晶体的晶型由方解石型向文石型转化;重组CLP-2在体外具有碳酸钙晶体结合作用;此外,重组CLP-2能显著抑制碳酸钙晶体的结晶速度（P<0.01）,并具有浓度依赖性。上述结果表明,厚壳贻贝贝壳CLP-2蛋白质在贝壳,特别是文石型肌棱柱层的生物矿化过程中具有重要作用。上述研究为深入了解贻贝贝壳的形成机制,以及胶原类蛋白质对生物矿化过程的影响奠定了基础。     

马氏珠母贝(Pinctada fucata martensii)PmHEX基因的功能研究

几丁质是软体动物贝壳有机框架的重要成分,其代谢在贝壳矿化中发挥重要作用。β-N-乙酰-己糖胺酶(HEX, EC3.2.1.52)是几丁质代谢的关键水解酶。为了探究马氏珠母贝β-N-乙酰-己糖胺酶(Pm HEX)(登录号:MF555152)在贝壳形成中的作用,本研究利用原位杂交(ISH)技术检测Pm HEX基因在外套膜的定位,结果显示Pm HEX的mRNA主要分布于外侧褶的外上皮细胞、中褶的内侧上皮细胞和内褶上皮细胞。利用RNAi技术抑制Pm HEX表达后,Pm HEX在边缘区和套膜区的表达量均显著下调;SEM观察发现实验组的棱柱层和珍珠层的微观结构都出现不同程度的紊乱。综上所述,Pm HEX可能通过影响几丁质代谢,参与马氏珠母贝贝壳棱柱层和珍珠层的矿化过程。     

外套膜转录物组分析揭示尿素在贻贝耐受海水酸化中的作用

海洋酸化是目前地球面临的主要环境问题之一,对海洋矿化生物的生存带来严重威胁。贝类是目前海水养殖的主要物种,海洋酸化会对贝壳的生物矿化过程产生抑制,因而对贝类养殖业的发展带来严重影响。前期研究中已发现,尿素对贻贝贝壳的形成具有辅助作用,推测尿素有助于贻贝在海洋酸化背景下的生存。为进一步探究尿素通过何种分子机制对贻贝耐受海洋酸化产生积极影响,以厚壳贻贝外套膜为研究对象,采用转录物组学策略分析了尿素添加对贻贝外套膜组织在酸化海水中的基因表达量变化的影响。结果表明,尿素添加对贻贝外套膜在酸化条件下的转录物组变化具有逆转趋势,可抑制外套膜中受酸化胁迫而激活的细胞自噬、凋亡、以及免疫应激相关通路;同时,也诱导了部分贝壳基质蛋白质表达量的上调,从而有助于维持贻贝在酸化条件下的生物矿化过程。上述研究有助于了解贻贝对海洋酸化的耐受性机制,也为后续贝类养殖业在海洋酸化背景下的健康发展提供了新的思路。     

厚壳贻贝whirlin类贝壳基质蛋白的重组表达与功能分析

贝壳历来是生物工程和材料学研究的重要对象。贝壳中的贝壳基质蛋白质在贝壳的形成与发育过程中具有重要的调控作用。Whirlin类蛋白质(Whirlin-like protein,WLP)是一种从厚壳贻贝(Mytilus coruscus)中鉴定的新型贝壳基质蛋白质。序列分析结果显示,该蛋白质含有PDZ(postsynaptic density/Discs large/Zonula occludens)结构域,而该结构域对贝壳生物矿化的影响目前尚无报道。为深入了解WLP在贝壳形成中对碳酸钙晶体的影响,在序列分析基础上,采用密码子优化结合原核重组表达,获得其重组表达产物后,开展了重组WLP对碳酸钙晶体形貌及晶型的影响研究,结晶速度抑制以及碳酸钙晶体结合分析。分析结果表明,重组WLP能诱导文石型碳酸钙晶体的形貌和方解石型碳酸钙晶体的晶型发生改变;同时重组WLP对碳酸钙晶体具有结合作用,且能抑制碳酸钙晶体的结晶速度。上述结果表明,WLP对贝壳的形成及发育具有重要影响,并可能在贝壳肌棱柱层的形成中发挥了重要作用。     

运用微电极技术测定三角帆蚌外套膜Ca2+流量的研究

Ca既是珍珠和贝壳中的主要组成成分(CaCO3占95%以上),又是普遍存在的细胞内第二信使,在生物体内承担着非常重要生理功能。生物矿化的研究表明外套膜细胞在珍珠和贝壳生长中起着非常重要的作用[1,2],并且     

微生物浸出过程中胞外蛋白的作用及其机理研究进展

矿物-微生物-溶液多相界面是硫化矿生物浸出的关键场所,界面微生物胞外多聚物(EPS)关键组分胞外蛋白在生物膜形成、结构稳定和硫化矿溶解等方面起到关键作用。综述了生物浸出过程中EPS关键组分胞外蛋白的研究进展和胞外蛋白现有的研究方法及其对冶金微生物胞外蛋白研究的适用性,展望了浸矿微生物胞外蛋白研究的前景,旨为生物冶金领域研究EPS关键组分胞外蛋白结构及其作用机理提供重要的理论和方法支撑。     

石鳖主侧齿齿尖铁矿化途径与铁蛋白定位

生物矿化在自然界广泛存在。矿化过程通过精确控制形成精致、有序的分级结构,如骨骼、牙齿、贝壳、齿舌等,迄今已发现约60多种生物矿化物,其中钙化物的种类最多,铁化物有5—6种1,2。磁铁矿(Fe3O4)在众多的生物体内均有发现3。纳米磁铁矿在生物医学领域有广泛的应用前景,如制备磁性微球、磁性微囊、磁性脂质体、磁性微乳等4,5。生物矿化吸引着众多科学家的关注,人们期望通过矿化结构的研究,了解矿化机理,并利用仿生学原理合成功能性材料。       

Purification and characterization of perlucin and perlustrin, two new proteins from the shell of the mollusc Haliotis laevigata

Two new proteins, named perlucin and perlustrin, with M(r) 17,000 and 13,000, respectively, were isolated from the shell of the mollusc Halotis laevigata (abalone) by ion-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC after demineralization of the shell in 10% acetic acid. The sequence of the first 32 amino acids of perlucin indicated that this protein belonged to a heterogeneous group of proteins consisting of a single C-type lectin domain. Perlucin increased the precipitation of CaCO(3) from a saturated solution, indicating that it may promote the nucleation and/or the growth of CaCO(3) crystals. With pancreatic stone protein (lithostathine) and the eggshell protein ovocleidin 17, this is the third C-type lectin domain protein isolated from CaCO(3) biominerals. This indicates that this type of protein performs an important but at present unrecognized function in biomineralization. Perlustrin was a minor component of the protein mixture and the sequence of the first 33 amino acids indicated a certain similarity to part of the much larger nacre protein lustrin A.     

Proteomic Strategy for Identifying Mollusc Shell Proteins Using Mild Chemical Degradation and Trypsin Digestion of Insoluble Organic Shell Matrix: A Pilot Study on Haliotis tuberculata

A successful strategy for the identification of shell proteins is based on proteomic analyses where soluble and insoluble fractions isolated from organic shell matrix are digested with trypsin with the aim of generating peptides, which are used to identify novel shell proteins contained in databases. However, using trypsin as a sole degradative agent is limited by the enzyme's cleavage specificity and is dependent upon the occurrence of lysine and arginine in the shell protein sequence. To bypass this limitation, we investigated the ability of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a low-specificity chemical degradative agent, to generate clusters of analyzable peptides from organic shell matrix, suitable for database annotation. Acetic acid-insoluble fractions from Haliotis tuberculata shell were processed by trypsin followed by TFA digestion. The hydrolysates were used to annotate an expressed sequence tag library constructed from the mantle tissue of Haliotis asinina, a tropical abalone species. The characterization of sequences with repeat motifs featured in some of the shell matrix proteins benefited from TFA-induced serial cutting, which can result in peptide ladder series. Using the degradative specificities of TFA and trypsin, we were able to identify five novel shell proteins. This pilot study indicates that a mild chemical digestion of organic shell matrix combined with trypsin generates peptides suitable for proteomic analysis for better characterization of mollusc shell matrix proteins.     

In-depth proteomic analysis of a mollusc shell: acid-soluble and acid-insoluble matrix of the limpet Lottia gigantea

Background

Invertebrate biominerals are characterized by their extraordinary functionality and physical properties, such as strength, stiffness and toughness that by far exceed those of the pure mineral component of such composites. This is attributed to the organic matrix, secreted by specialized cells, which pervades and envelops the mineral crystals. Despite the obvious importance of the protein fraction of the organic matrix, only few in-depth proteomic studies have been performed due to the lack of comprehensive protein sequence databases. The recent public release of the gastropod Lottia gigantea genome sequence and the associated protein sequence database provides for the first time the opportunity to do a state-of-the-art proteomic in-depth analysis of the organic matrix of a mollusc shell.

Results

Using three different sodium hypochlorite washing protocols before shell demineralization, a total of 569 proteins were identified in Lottia gigantea shell matrix. Of these, 311 were assembled in a consensus proteome comprising identifications contained in all proteomes irrespective of shell cleaning procedure. Some of these proteins were similar in amino acid sequence, amino acid composition, or domain structure to proteins identified previously in different bivalve or gastropod shells, such as BMSP, dermatopontin, nacrein, perlustrin, perlucin, or Pif. In addition there were dozens of previously uncharacterized proteins, many containing repeated short linear motifs or homorepeats. Such proteins may play a role in shell matrix construction or control of mineralization processes.

Conclusions

The organic matrix of Lottia gigantea shells is a complex mixture of proteins comprising possible homologs of some previously characterized mollusc shell proteins, but also many novel proteins with a possible function in biomineralization as framework building blocks or as regulatory components. We hope that this data set, the most comprehensive available at present, will provide a platform for the further exploration of biomineralization processes in molluscs.     

Immunological and biochemical analysis of test matrix proteins in living and fossil foraminifers

The characterization of macromolecules from shell matrix proteins in living organisms is the fundamental first step in establishing molecular phylogenies. This is particularly important if ancient macromolecules will be used for the phylogenies. Approximately 500 individuals of Orbulina universa were picked from plankton tows taken in the Gulf of Mexico during spring 1990. Proteins were extracted from the tests of the individuals, and the molecular weights of the proteins were determined and compared to 2,000–4,000-year old samples. Gel electrophoresis of the soluble matrix (SM) from living O. universa showed at least ten protein bands, while electrophoresis of core-top O. universa showed two protein bands. Dot-immunobinding assays of proteins from living and fossil samples of O. universa , incubated against monoclonal antibodies raised against core-top O. universa SM, demonstrated a reactivity with the two proteins in common. Less reactivity was obtained with living samples of the benthic foraminifers Androsina lucasi and Archaias angulatus and core-top samples of the planktonic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. A partial protein sequence from one shell matrix protein approximately 65kD in size, from core-top Orbulina universa , showed a domain of polyaspartic acid at the NH₂ terminus. This is consistent with data obtained for other matrix proteins found in invertebrates and vertebrates. Sequence data provide insight into the role that the protein may play in the biomineralization of the test and will aid in modelling degradation. □ Foraminifera, test proteins, monoclonal antibodies , Orbulina, Androsina, Archaias, Neogloboquadrina, biomineralization, Dot-immunobinding assay, protein sequence.     

Identification of two carbonic anhydrases in the mantle of the European Abalone Haliotis tuberculata (Gastropoda, Haliotidae): phylogenetic implications

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) represent a diversified family of metalloenzymes that reversibly catalyze the hydration of carbon dioxide. They are involved in a wide range of functions, among which is the formation of CaCO(3) skeletons in metazoans. In the shell-forming mantle tissues of mollusks, the location of the CA catalytic activity is elusive and gives birth to contradicting views. In the present paper, using the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata, a key model gastropod in biomineralization studies, we identified and characterized two CAs (htCA1 and htCA2) that are specific of the shell-forming mantle tissue. We analyzed them in a phylogenetic context. Combining various approaches, including proteomics, activity tests, and in silico analyses, we showed that htCA1 is secreted but is not incorporated in the organic matrix of the abalone shell and that htCA2 is transmembrane. Together with previous studies dealing with molluskan CAs, our findings suggest two possible modes of action for shell mineralization: the first mode applies to, for example, the bivalves Unio pictorum and Pinctada fucata, and involves a true CA activity in their shell matrix; the second mode corresponds to, for example, the European abalone, and does not include CA activity in the shell matrix. Our work provides new insight on the diversity of the extracellular macromolecular tools used for shell biomineralization study in mollusks.     

A Bivalve Biomineralization Toolbox

Mollusc shells are a result of the deposition of crystalline and amorphous calcite catalyzed by enzymes and shell matrix proteins (SMP). Developing a detailed understanding of bivalve mollusc biomineralization pathways is complicated not only by the multiplicity of shell forms and microstructures in this class, but also by the evolution of associated proteins by domain co-option and domain shuffling. In spite of this, a minimal biomineralization toolbox comprising proteins and protein domains critical for shell production across species has been identified. Using a matched pair design to reduce experimental noise from inter-individual variation, combined with damage-repair experiments and a database of biomineralization SMPs derived from published works, proteins were identified that are likely to be involved in shell calcification. Eighteen new, shared proteins likely to be involved in the processes related to the calcification of shells were identified by the analysis of genes expressed during repair in Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus edulis, and Pecten maximus. Genes involved in ion transport were also identified as potentially involved in calcification either via the maintenance of cell acid–base balance or transport of critical ions to the extrapallial space, the site of shell assembly. These data expand the number of candidate biomineralization proteins in bivalve molluscs for future functional studies and define a minimal functional protein domain set required to produce solid microstructures from soluble calcium carbonate. This is important for understanding molluscan shell evolution, the likely impacts of environmental change on biomineralization processes, materials science, and biomimicry research.     

Culture of outer epithelial cells from mantle tissue to study shell matrix protein secretion for biomineralization

Mantle tissue plays an important role in shell biomineralization by secreting matrix proteins for shell formation. However, the mechanism by which it regulates matrix protein secretion is poorly understood, largely because of the lack of cellular tools for in vitro study and techniques to evaluate matrix protein secretion. We have isolated the outer epithelial cells of the mantle of the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, and evaluated cellular metabolism by measuring the secretion of the matrix protein, nacrein. A novel sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established to quantify nacrein. Mantle explant culture was demonstrated to provide dissociated tissue cells with high viability. Single dissociated cell types from explant culture were separated by density in a discontinuous Percoll gradient. The outer epithelial cells were isolated from other cell types by their higher density and identified by immunolabeling and ultrastructure analysis. ELISA assays revealed that the outer epithelial cells retained the ability to secrete nacrein in vitro. Moreover, increased nacrein secretion resulted from an increased Ca(2+) concentration in the culture media of the outer epithelial cells, in a concentration-dependent manner. These results confirm that outer epithelial cell culture and the ELISA method are useful tools for studying the regulatory mechanisms of shell biomineralization.