Nanobacteria are mineralo fetuin complexes |
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Authors: | Raoult Didier Drancourt Michel Azza Saïd Nappez Claude Guieu Régis Rolain Jean-Marc Fourquet Patrick Campagna Bernard La Scola Bernard Mege Jean-Louis Mansuelle Pascal Lechevalier Eric Berland Yvon Gorvel Jean-Pierre Renesto Patricia |
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Affiliation: | Unité des Rickettsies, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France. Didier.Raoult@medecine.univ-mrs.fr |
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Abstract: | "Nanobacteria" are nanometer-scale spherical and ovoid particles which have spurred one of the biggest controversies in modern microbiology. Their biological nature has been severely challenged by both geologists and microbiologists, with opinions ranging from considering them crystal structures to new life forms. Although the nature of these autonomously replicating particles is still under debate, their role in several calcification-related diseases has been reported. In order to gain better insights on this calciferous agent, we performed a large-scale project, including the analysis of "nanobacteria" susceptibility to physical and chemical compounds as well as the comprehensive nucleotide, biochemical, proteomic, and antigenic analysis of these particles. Our results definitively ruled out the existence of "nanobacteria" as living organisms and pointed out the paradoxical role of fetuin (an anti-mineralization protein) in the formation of these self-propagating mineral complexes which we propose to call "nanons." The presence of fetuin within renal calculi was also evidenced, suggesting its role as a hydroxyapatite nucleating factor. |
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