Multiscale Mechanics and Optimization of Gastropod Shells

A vast majority of mollusks grow a hard shell for protection.The structure of these shells comprises several levels of hierarchy that increase their strength and their resistance to natural threats.This article focuses on nacreous shells,which are composed of two distinct layers.The outer layer is made of calcite,which is a hard but brittle material,and the inner layer is made of nacre,a tough and ductile material.The inner and outer layers are therefore made of materials with distinct structures and properties.In this article,we demonstrate that this system is optimum to defeat attacks from predators.A two-scale modeling and optimization approach was used.At the macroscale,a two-layer finite element model of a seashell was developed to capture shell geometry.At the microscale,a representative volume element of the microstructure of nacre was used to model the elastic modulus of nacre as well as a multiaxial failure criterion,both expressed as function of microstructural parameters.Experiments were also performed on actual shells of red abalone to validate the results obtained from simulations and gain insight into the way the shell fails under sharp perforation.Both optimization and experimental results revealed that the shell displays optimum performance when two modes of failure coincide within the structure.Finally,guidelines for designing two-layer shells were proposed to improve the performance of engineered protective systems undergoing similar structural and loading conditions.     

On the fracture mechanisms of nacre: Effects of structural orientation

The nacre of mollusk shells is distinguished by an exceptional mechanical efficiency which is derived essentially from its lamellar structure and frequently acts as a source of inspiration for the development of biomimetic materials. The structure and mechanical properties of nacre have been intensively investigated with a special focus on its toughening strategies; nevertheless, the fracture mechanisms, more specifically the critical stress/strain conditions for the failure of nacre, and the effects of structural orientation and hydration state remain largely unexplored. Here uniaxial compression tests were performed on nacre of both dry and hydrated states with different off-axis angles, i.e., the inclination of loading axis with respect to the lamellar structure, ranging from 0° to 90°. The mechanical properties and fracture characteristics of nacre and their dependences on the structural orientation and hydration state were elucidated in terms of mechanics behind failure. Quantitative relationships were established between the mechanical properties and off-axis angle based on different failure criteria. The competition between the fracture modes of fragmentation and shearing was quantified by comparing their respective driving force and resistance on the interfacial plane. This study may aid the understanding on the mechanical behavior of nacre and nacre-inspired synthetic materials and promote a better replication of the underlying design principles of nacre in man-made systems.     

Derivation of the Stress-Strain Behavior of the constituents of Bio-Inspired Layered TiO₂/PE-Nanocomposites by Inverse Modeling Based on FE-Simulations of Nanoindentation Test

Owing to the apparent simple morphology and peculiar properties, nacre, an iridescent layer, coating of the inner part of mollusk shells, has attracted considerable attention of biologists, material scientists and engineers. The basic structural motif in nacre is the assembly of oriented plate-like aragonite crystals with a ’brick’ (CaCO₃ crystals) and ’mortar’ (macromolecular components like proteins) organization. Many scientific researchers recognize that such structures are associated with the excellent mechanical properties of nacre and biomimetic strategies have been proposed to produce new layered nanocomposites. During the past years, increasing efforts have been devoted towards exploiting nacre’s structural design principle in the synthesis of novel nanocomposites. However, the direct transfer of nacre’s architecture to an artificial inorganic material has not been achieved yet. In the present contribution we report on laminated architecture, composed of the inorganic oxide (TiO₂) and organic polyelectrolyte (PE) layers which fulfill this task.
To get a better insight and understanding concerning the mechanical behaviour of bio-inspired layered materials consisting of oxide ceramics and organic layers, the elastic-plastic properties of titanium dioxide and organic polyelectrolyte phase are determined via FE-modelling of the nanoindentation process. With the use of inverse modeling and based on numerical models which are applied on the microscopic scale, the material properties of the constituents are derived.     

A scanning electron microscopic study of the inorganic and organic matrices comprising the mature shell of Amblema, a fresh-water mollusc

The scanning electron microscope has been used to describe the morphology of the mature shell in a fresh-water bivalve. The structure of the organic and inorganic components within the nacre, the myostracum, and the prismatic layer is described. A transitional or intermediate zone, interposed between the prismatic layer and the nacre, was identified. In demineralized samples, the organic component of the nacre was found to consist of parallel matricial sheets interconnected by irregular transverse bridges. The structure of the mineral component of the nacre was found to vary with the method of specimen preparation. With polished-etched samples, brick-like units were seen. When shells were simply broken and fixed in osmium, the layers of nacreous material consisted of fusing rhomboidal crystals of aragonite which demonstrated subconchoidal fractures. On the inner surface of the shell, the rhomboidal crystals showed an apparent spiral growth pattern. The myostracum was characterized by regions of modified nacreous structure consisting of enlarged aragonite crystals with a pyramidal morphology. The peripheral aspect of the muscle scars was characterized by rhomboidal crystals, the latter fusing to form the typical nacreous laminae. The uniqueness of the anterior adductor scar is exemplified by the presence of pores, each pore walled by pyramidal units, for the insertion of adductor fibres. In most regions of the shell, the prismatic layer consisted of one prism unit thickness with a height of approximately 225–250 μm. However, in two specialized regions of the shell, this layer was seen to consist of multiple layers of stacked prisms. The organic matrices of the prismatic layer are arranged in a honeycomb-like arrangement and packed with mineralized spherical subunits.     

SHELL MICROSTRUCTURE OF GASTROPODS FROM LAKE TANGANYIKA,AFRICA: ADAPTATION,CONVERGENT EVOLUTION,AND ESCALATION

Gastropod shells from Lake Tanganyika, with their heavy calcification, coarse noded ribbing, spines, apertural lip thickening and repair scars, resemble marine shells more closely than they resemble other lacustrine shells. This convergence between Tanganyikan and marine gastropod shells, however, is not just superficial. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies reveal that the Tanganyikan shells are primarily layers of crossed-lamellar crystal architecture (that is, needle-like aragonite crystals arranged into laths that are packed into sheets such that the aragonite needles of adjacent laths are never parallel). The number of crossed-lamellar layers can vary from one to four between different Tanganyikan gastropod species. In species with two or more crossed-lamellar layers, the orientation of the lamellae is offset by approximately 90° between the different layers. The number of crossed-lamellar layers in the shell wall is positively correlated with shell strength and with predation resistance. Three and four crossed-lamellar layers in the shell wall evolved several times independently within the endemic thiarid gastropod radiation in Lake Tanganyika. Repeated origins of three and four crossed-lamellar layers suggest that they may be specific adaptations by Tanganyikan gastropods to strengthen their shells as a defense against shell-crushing predators.     

Developmental biology meets materials science: Morphogenesis of biomineralized structures

Biomineralization is the process by which metazoa form hard minerals for support, defense, and feeding. The minerals so formed, e.g., teeth, bones, shells, carapaces, and spicules, are of considerable interest to chemists and materials scientists. The cell biology underlying biomineralization is not well understood. The study of the formation of mineralized structures in developing organisms offers opportunities for understanding some intriguing aspects of cell and developmental biology. Five examples of biomineralization are presented: (1) the formation of siliceous spicules and frustules in sponges and diatoms, respectively; (2) the structure of skeletal spicules composed of amorphous calcium carbonate in some tunicates; (3) the secretion of the prism and nacre of some molluscan shells; (4) the development of skeletal spicules of sea urchin embryos; and (5) the formation of enamel of vertebrate teeth. Some speculations on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that support biomineralization, and their evolutionary origins, are discussed.     

Characterization of MRNP34, a novel methionine-rich nacre protein from the pearl oysters

Nacre of the Pinctada pearl oyster shells is composed of 98% CaCO₃ and 2% organic matrix. The relationship between the organic matrix and the mechanism of nacre formation currently constitutes the main focus regarding the biomineralization process. In this study, we isolated a new nacre matrix protein in P. margaritifera and P. maxima, we called Pmarg- and Pmax-MRNP34 (methionine-rich nacre protein). MRNP34 is a secreted hydrophobic protein, which is remarkably rich in methionine, and which is specifically localised in mineralizing the epithelium cells of the mantle and in the nacre matrix. The structure of this protein is drastically different from those of the other nacre proteins already described. This unusual methionine-rich protein is a new member in the growing list of low complexity domain containing proteins that are associated with biocalcifications. These observations offer new insights to the molecular mechanisms of biomineralization.     

Novel basic protein, PfN23, functions as key macromolecule during nacre formation

The fine microstructure of nacre (mother of pearl) illustrates the beauty of nature. Proteins found in nacre were believed to be "natural hands" that control nacre formation. In the classical view of nacre formation, nucleation of the main minerals, calcium carbonate, is induced on and by the acidic proteins in nacre. However, the basic proteins were not expected to be components of nacre. Here, we reported that a novel basic protein, PfN23, was a key accelerator in the control over crystal growth in nacre. The expression profile, in situ immunostaining, and in vitro immunodetection assays showed that PfN23 was localized within calcium carbonate crystals in the nacre. Knocking down the expression of PfN23 in adults via double-stranded RNA injection led to a disordered nacre surface in adults. Blocking the translation of PfN23 in embryos using morpholino oligomers led to the arrest of larval development. The in vitro crystallization assay showed that PfN23 increases the rate of calcium carbonate deposition and induced the formation of aragonite crystals with characteristics close to nacre. In addition, we constructed the peptides and truncations of different regions of this protein and found that the positively charged C-terminal region was a key region for the function of PfN23 Taken together, the basic protein PfN23 may be a key accelerator in the control of crystal growth in nacre. This provides a valuable balance to the classic view that acidic proteins control calcium carbonate deposition in nacre.     

智能多肽的自组装机理及其生物学应用

智能多肽是指智能响应外界刺激并做出相应回应的多肽。由于其形成过程为自发的自组装,故智能多肽又可称为自组装多肽。智能多肽的氨基酸构成使其拥有良好的生物相容性及生物可降解性,作为构筑基元拼接成为功能性材料,在新型生物材料方面展示出了广阔的应用前景。概括了智能多肽的性质、自组装机理及应用,重点阐述了它在生物能源、生物医学工程和分离工程上的应用,以期在系统认识智能多肽的基础上,发掘其应用潜能,突破开发瓶颈。     

Comparison of aragonitic molluscan shell proteins

Acidic macromolecules, as a nucleation factor for mollusc shell formation, are a major focus of research. It remains unclear, however, whether acidic macromolecules are present only in calcified shell organic matrices, and which acidic macromolecules are crucial for the nucleation process by binding to chitin as structural components. To clarify these questions, we applied 2D gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis to soluble shell organic matrices from nacre shell, non-nacre aragonitic shell and non-calcified squid shells. The 2D gel electrophoresis results showed that the acidity of soluble proteins differs even between nacre shells, and some nacre (Haliotis gigantea) showed a basic protein migration pattern. Non-calcified shells also contained some moderately acidic proteins. The results did not support the correlation between the acidity of soluble shell proteins and shell structure.     

The Micro/Nanostructure Characteristics and the Mechanical Properties of Hemifusus tuba Conch Shell

<正> The mollusk shell mobilizes calcium from environment for skeletal mineralization.This occurs through synthesizing solidsin solution in the presence of organic molecules of specific interior regions of the conch shell.The ultrastructure and microhardnessof the Hemifusus tuba conch shell living in the Huang/Bo sea area are investigated in the paper.It is shown that thecomposition and microstructure of the mollusk shell vary in different positions.The prodissoconch shell consists only of aragonitewith the crossed-lamellar microstructure.While the spiral shell and the body shell of the Hemifusus tuba conch shell arecomposed of one calcite layer and several aragonite layers.The calcite layer consists of cylindrical grains,but the aragonitelayers are crossed-lamellar ultrastructure at three size scales.The minimum structure size (the third-order lamella) is at about20 nm - 80 nm.The margin of shell aperture is only composed of calcite with cylindrical grains.This natural optimization of theshell microstructure is intimately due to the growth of the Organic matrix.At different positions the microhardness of molluscshell is different due to different crystal structures and crystal arrangements.The growth process of shells allows a constantrenewal of the material,thus enabling their functional adaptation to external environments.     

Lipids from the nacreous and prismatic layers of two Pteriomorpha mollusc shells

Mollusc shells are acellular biominerals, in which macromolecular structures are intimately associated with mineral phases. Most studies are devoted to proteins, despite sugars have been described. Lipids were extracted from the calcite prismatic and aragonite nacreous layer of two mollusc shells. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry shows that lipids are present in both samples, but they are not similar. Thin layer chromatography confirms that lipids are different in the two studied layers, so that it may be suggested they are species-dependant. Although not yet deciphered, their role in biomineralization and fossilisation processes is probably important.     

Forming nacreous layer of the shells of the bivalves Atrina rigida and Pinctada margaritifera: an environmental- and cryo-scanning electron microscopy study

A key to understanding control over mineral formation in mollusk shells is the microenvironment inside the pre-formed 3-dimensional organic matrix framework where mineral forms. Much of what is known about nacre formation is from observations of the mature tissue. Although these studies have elucidated several important aspects of this process, the structure of the organic matrix and the microenvironment where the crystal nucleates and grows are very difficult to infer from observations of the mature nacre. Here, we use environmental- and cryo-scanning electron microscopy to investigate the organic matrix structure at the onset of mineralization in the nacre of two mollusk species: the bivalves Atrina rigida and Pinctada margaritifera. These two techniques allow the visualization of hydrated biological materials coupled with the preservation of the organic matrix close to physiological conditions. We identified a hydrated gel-like protein phase filling the space between two interlamellar sheets prior to mineral formation. The results are consistent with this phase being the silk-like proteins, and show that mineral formation does not occur in an aqueous solution, but in a hydrated gel-like medium. As the tablets grow, the silk-fibroin is pushed aside and becomes sandwiched between the mineral and the chitin layer.     

Intermodular Linker Flexibility Revealed from Crystal Structures of Adjacent Cellulosomal Cohesins of Acetivibrio cellulolyticus

Cellulosome complexes comprise an intercalated set of multimodular dockerin-containing enzymatic subunits connected to cohesin-containing nonenzymatic subunits called scaffoldins. The adjoining modules in each cellulosomal subunit are interconnected by a variety of linker segments of different lengths and composition. The exact role of the cellulosomal linkers has yet to be described, although it is assumed that they contribute to the architecture and action of the cellulosome by providing the protein subunits with flexibility and by providing spacers between the enzymatic modules that could enhance interactions with the cellulose substrate. Here we present four crystal structures of Acetivibrio cellulolyticus cellulosomal type II cohesins with linker extensions. Two of the structures represent two different crystal forms (trigonal and orthorhombic) of the same N-terminal cohesin module (CohB1) together with its full (6-residue) native C-terminal linker, derived from scaffoldin B. The other two structures belong to the adjacent (second) cohesin module (CohB2), each of which was crystallized with the same 6-residue linker segment, but now positioned at the N-terminus and with either a truncated (5-residue) or a full-length (45-residue) C-terminal linker, respectively. Comparison between the two CohB1 structures revealed significant differences in the conformation of their equivalent C-terminal linker segment. In one crystal form a helical conformation was observed, as opposed to an extended conformation in the other. The CohB2 structures also displayed diverse conformations in their linker segments. In these structures, different linker conformations were observed in the individual molecules within the asymmetric unit of each structure. This conformational diversity implies that the linkers may adopt alternative conformations in their natural environment, consistent with varying environmental conditions. The findings suggest that linkers can play an important role in the assembly, dynamics and function of the cellulosomal components.     

The sequence determinant causing different folding behaviors of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1

Although insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) belong to the insulin superfamily and share highly homologous sequences, similar tertiary structure, and a common ancestor molecule, amphioxus insulin-like peptide, they have different folding behaviors: IGF-1 folds into two thermodynamically stable tertiary structures (native and swap forms), while insulin folds into one unique stable structure. To further understand which part of the sequence determines their different folding behavior, based on previous reports from the laboratory, two peptide models, [B9A][1-4]porcine insulin precursor (PIP) and [B10E][1-4]PIP, were constructed. The plasmids encoding the peptides were transformed into yeast cells for expression of the peptides; the results showed that the former peptide was expressed as single component, while the latter was expressed as a mixture of two components (isomer 1 and isomer 2). The expression results together with studies of circular dichoism, disulfide rearrangement, and refolding lead us to deduce that isomer 1 corresponds to the swap form and the isomer 2 corresponds to the native form. We further demonstrate that the sequence 1-4 plus B9 of IGF-1 B-domain can make PIP fold into two structures, while sequence 1-5 of insulin B-chain can make IGF-1 fold into one unique structure. In other words, it is the IGF-1 B-domain sequence that 1-4 allows IGF-1 folding into two thermodynamically stable tertiary structures; this sequence plus its residue B9E can change PIP folding behavior from folding into one unique structure to two thermodynamically stable structures, like that of IGF-1.     

NMR solution structure of a peptide from the mdm-2 binding domain of the p53 protein that is selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells

We have recently found that a peptide from the mdm-2 binding domain of the p53 protein induced rapid membranolytic necrosis of a variety of different human cancer cell lines. To determine the role of solution structure in this peptide's selective and rapid tumor membrane disruptive behavior, we have performed two-dimensional NMR on a 32-residue sequence called PNC-27, in both an aqueous cytosolic-like and a mixed organic membrane-mimetic solution environment. In an aqueous milieu, PNC-27 contains three alpha-helical domains connected by loop structures, forming an S shape, and another similar structure with less helical structure. In a solution environment simulating a membrane, the helical domains found in water increase in length, forming three classes of structures, all of which form a U-shaped helix-coil-helix ensemble. In both solvent systems, this peptide forms amphipathic structures such that its hydrophobic residues coalesce on one face while the polar residues aggregate on the opposite face. The ability to form these unique structures in these two solution environments may allow the PNC-27 peptide to selectively and rapidly disrupt cancer cell membranes.     

Sheet nacre growth mechanism: a Voronoi model

Shell nacre (mother of pearl) of Pinctada margaritifera was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The originality of this work concerns the sampling performed to observe incipient nacre on the mantle side. The whole animal is embedded in methyl methacrylate followed by separation of the shell from the hardened mantle. It is revealed this way how each future nacre layer pre-exists as a film or compartment. Experimental observations also show for the first time, the progressive lateral crystallization inside this film, finishing under the form of a non-periodic pattern of polygonal tablets of bio-aragonite. It is evidenced that nuclei appear in the film in the vicinity of the zone where aragonite tablets of the underlying layer get in contact to each other. A possible explanation is given to show how nucleation is probably launched in time and space by a signal coming from the underlying layer. Finally, it is evidenced that tablets form a Voronoi tiling of the space: this suggests that their growth is controlled by an "aggregation-like" process of "crystallites" and not directly by the aragonite lattice growth.     

beta-Trefoil fold. Patterns of structure and sequence in the Kunitz inhibitors interleukins-1 beta and 1 alpha and fibroblast growth factors.

Previous crystallographic analyses of the Kunitz inhibitors from soybean. Erythrina caffra and wheat, the interleukins-1 beta and 1 alpha and the acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors have shown that they contain a most unusual fold. It is formed by six two-stranded hairpins. Three of these form a barrel structure and the other three are in a triangular array that caps the barrel. The arrangement of the secondary structures gives the molecules a pseudo 3-fold axis. Although the different proteins have very similar structures, many of their sequences have no significant similarities overall. The structural determinants of this fold are described and discussed in this paper. The barrels in the different proteins have the same geometrical features: six strands tilted at 56 degrees to the barrel axis; a barrel diameter of 16 A, and the beta-sheet hydrogen bonded so that it is staggered with a shear number of 12. These features fit McLachlan's equations for ideal barrels formed by beta-sheets. The wide diameter of the barrels is filled by layers of residues that, while not identical in the different proteins, are, in almost all cases, large. The structure of the triangular array of hairpins is determined by the coiling of the strands and the packing of hairpin residues against each other and against residues from the interior of the barrel. The major sequence requirements of this fold are large or medium hydrophobic residues at 18 buried sites. In the different structures the total volume of these residues is 3000 (+/- 120) A. The polyhedron model of protein architecture is used to demonstrate that the main, and in particular the symmetrical, features of this fold arise from the ideal and equal packing of six hairpins, modified only slightly to form hydrogen bonds between the hairpins.