title: A novel matrix protein participating in the nacre framework formation of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata.
abstract: Understanding the molecular composition is of great interest for both nacre formation mechanism and biomineralization in mollusk shell. A cDNA clone encoding an MSI31 relative, termed MSI7 because of its estimated molecular mass of 7.3 kDa, was isolated from the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. This novel protein shares similarity with MSI31, a prismatic framework protein of P. fucata. It is peculiar that MSI7 is much shorter in size, harboring only the Gly-rich sequence that has been proposed to be critical for Ca(2+) binding. In situ hybridization result showed that MSI7 mRNA was expressed specifically at the folds and outer epithelia of the mantle, indicating that MSI7 participates in the framework formation of both the nacreous layer and prismatic layer. In vitro experiment on the function of MSI7 suggested that it accelerates the nucleation and precipitation of CaCO(3). Taken together, we have identified a novel matrix protein of the pearl oyster, which may play an important role in determining the texture of nacre.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, HaiDian, 100084, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Qingxiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Tiemin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ruolei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rongqing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003460:Crystallization; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002119:Calcium Carbonate